Permanent Secretary – Ministry of Education and Training

September 18, 2026

General Circular Information

Office: Office of the Prime Minister
Circular: External Circular Notice No. 5 of 2026
Circular Reference: GS/MIN/10
Office Address: P.O. Box 527, Maseru 100
Application Deadline: 2 October 2026 at 16:00hrs

Job Details

MINISTRY: Education and Training
DUTY STATION: Maseru
GRADE: L
RESPONSIBLE TO: Government Secretary
DAY-TO-DAY REPORTING: Minister
DURATION: 5 Years

Job Purpose

The Permanent Secretary is the Chief Accounting Officer of the Ministry and provides strategic guidance and supervision in the implementation of the Ministry’s Strategic Plan towards attainment of national development priorities.

Job Summary

Under the general supervision of the Government Secretary and the general direction of the Minister, the Permanent Secretary (PS) will be responsible for the development and review of the Ministry’s strategic plan and legal frameworks; implementation of the Ministry’s strategic plan, programmes and legal frameworks; financial and budget management; implementation of Government decisions and directives; supervision of subordinates; and other duties and responsibilities in line with Section 97(1,2,3(b),(c)) of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution, Act 2025 and Section 13(2) of the Public Service Act, 2005.

Development and Review of the Ministry’s Strategic Plan and Legal Frameworks

Leads the development of the strategic plan in line with the National Strategic Development Plan to ensure that the Ministry responds to national needs pertaining to education and training.
Presents the strategic plan to Cabinet for approval.
Supervises the development of policies, laws and regulations governing the Ministry’s strategic intentions to improve the country’s literacy capacity for accelerated economic growth.
Facilitates presentation of developed policies, laws and regulations to Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Reviews the strategic plan and legal frameworks regularly in order to address emerging issues affecting education and training.

Implementation of Strategic Plan, Programmes and Legal Frameworks

Supervises the development of the implementation plan for the strategic plan, programmes and legal frameworks to ensure that the Ministry achieves the intended targets.
Liaises with key stakeholders, including development partners, to forge working relations and ensure that the implementation plan is widely communicated for maximum participation and contribution to national development.
Convenes weekly Executive Management meetings to solicit progress reports on the operations and activities of Departments.
Reports to the Minister, Government Secretary, Development Partners and the Public on progress made on the implementation plan for regular updates and to solicit support when necessary.

Financial and Budget Management

Leads the Ministry’s budgeting process to ensure that its strategic activities are adequately funded.
Presents the budget to the Minister for his/her appreciation, buy-in and approval.
Presents the budget to the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning for funding of the Ministry’s annual operational plan.
Authorizes procurement and payments of goods and services in line with Financial and Procurement Regulations to ascertain that the Ministry obtains value for money.
Directs compilation of procurement, financial and reconciliation reports to assess the effectiveness of procurement services and track the financial performance of the Ministry.
Directs preparation of reports, including budget execution and audit queries, for submission and presentation to the National Assembly.
Supervises the development of the asset register to ensure safeguarding of assets and their proper record keeping.

Implementation of Government Decisions

Supervises the implementation of Government decisions for improved service delivery.
Supervises compilation of reports on the implementation of the decisions and submits them to the Government Secretary for consideration and approval.

Supervision of Subordinates

Convenes meetings with individual subordinates to develop annual work plans.
Reviews progress on planned activities quarterly to monitor the performance of individual supervisees.
Conducts annual performance appraisals of individual supervisees.
Facilitates assessment of training and development needs of staff for the development of a needs-based ministerial training plan.
Supervises execution of the training plan to enhance employees’ skills for improved service delivery.
Leads monitoring and evaluation of the impact of undertaken training and development on staff to determine appropriate remedial action where necessary.

Qualifications

Master’s Degree from a recognized university in:
- Management Education
- Education
- Education Administration
- Related field

Postgraduate Diploma/Honours Degree from a recognized university in:
- Management Education
- Education
- Education Administration
- Related field

First Degree from a recognized university in:
- Management Education
- Education
- Education Administration
- Related field

Experience

Five (5) years’ work experience for Master’s Degree holders.
Seven (7) years’ work experience for Postgraduate Diploma/Honours Degree holders.
Ten (10) years’ work experience for Degree holders.
Experience must be in a senior management position.
Experience in public service management will be an added advantage.

Competencies

Good leadership traits.
Motivation and persuasive skills.
Planning, coordination and budgeting skills.
Communication and presentation skills.
Good problem-solving and analytical skills.
Appreciation of the Government Procurement Act, Public Financial Management and Accountability Act, Public Service Act, Public Service Regulations, Basic Conditions of Employment for Public Officers and legal frameworks related to education and training.
Computer skills in Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
Proposal and report writing skills.
Ability to communicate fluently in Sesotho and English.
Ability to work in a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary professional setup.
Ability to work under pressure within short timelines.

Responsibility

For Work of Others:
The incumbent is responsible for the general supervision of all employees and ensuring that the Ministry achieves its targets within set timelines.

For Property:
The incumbent is responsible for the proper handling and safety of the Ministry’s assets.

For Effects of Errors:
The incumbent shall be responsible for errors that may occur during execution of the Ministry’s activities.

For Safety of Others:
The incumbent shall be responsible for the safety of staff during their day-to-day activities.

Complexity

Authority for Decision Making:
The incumbent shall be responsible for making assessments regarding work-related activities and making decisions thereof.

Problem Solving:
The incumbent will be responsible for solving work-related problems that may arise from time to time.

Supervision Received:
The incumbent will be expected to work independently but report daily to the Minister and weekly to the Government Secretary on operational issues.

Dexterity:
This factor is not identified with this type of job.

Contacts

The position requires contact with:

Minister
Government Secretary
Development Partners
Other Ministries locally and counterparts internationally
Permanent Secretaries
Other key stakeholders

The reasons include reporting, consultations, networking, sharing ideas and best practices, soliciting support, planning and reporting.

Effort

Mental Effort:
The job involves handling complex work-related issues which may lead to fatigue. A high level of analytical planning and problem-solving techniques are required.

Physical Effort:
The factor is minimal in this job.

Emotional Effort:
The incumbent is expected to deal with disgruntled media houses, hence the need to be always emotionally stable.

Working Conditions

Unfavourable Working Conditions:
The incumbent is expected to work beyond normal working hours, during weekends and holidays.

Health Hazards:
The factor is not identified with this job.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should fill and submit GP 103 or GP 104 (for serving officers) with certified copies of educational certificates vetted by the Council on Higher Education and detailed CVs to:

HR Offices – Cabinet
Government Office Complex – Qhobosheaneng
Maseru, Lesotho

Deadline: 16:00hrs on 2 October 2026.

The advert is also available on the government website: www.gov.ls