Campaign for Education Forum(CEF Forum), legally registered in August 2005, is a coalition of diverse independent and voluntary organizations that work in education. etc. It unites civil society in the common pursuit of the right to quality, compulsory and free basic education for all, with emphasis on publicly funded education.

 

CEF Forum works on advocacy, which is geared towards influencing  changes in education policies and practices such that all people especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of society have access to quality basic education.

Education for all matters.                

The formation for Campaign for Education Forum (CEF Forum) has been pioneered by the Lesotho Association of Teacher (LAT). On 12 August 2003, LAT convened a meeting for civil society organizations to sensitize them about the importance of forming a coalition of civil society on education for all. Ten organizations represented at the meeting included trade unions, NGOs, faith-based organizations, federations of trade unions and youth organizations. The then Global Campaign for Education (GCE) Africa Coordinator, Mr. Emmanuel Fothoma and Mr. S. Mabusela of South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) were the invited quests. The meeting reached a decision for the formation of a coalition and a steering committee of ten people was made. Each organization was represented by one person in the committee. LAT volunteered to coordinate the tasks of the committee and also work as the Secretariat of the coalition. The launching of General Assembly was held at BAMBATHA TS’ITA SPORTS ARENA 19 March 2004. Some of the organizations that attended the launch are the following:

• Lesotho Association of Teachers
• Lesotho Teachers Trade Union
• Lesotho School Principals Association
• Lesotho Federation of Democratic Union
• National Union of Retail and Allied Workers
• Lesotho save the Children
• Lesotho Durham Link
• Congress of Lesotho Trade Union
• Lesotho National Council of Women
• AME – Schools Secretariat
• Lesotho Youth Federation
• Non Government Organization on the right of a Child

The Assembly was again sponsored by the Lesotho Association of Teachers. It was at the Assembly when the first Board was elected and it stands thus;

President:                               Ms. Motselisi Shale

Secretary:                               Mr. Robert Tseuoa

Deputy Secretary:                  Mr. Tseliso Ramochela   

Treasurer:                               Ms. ‘Mathabang Nkhetse

Public Relations Officer:        Mr. Shaw Lebakae

On 09 January 2004, CEF Forum was registered under the Societies Act of 1966. On 19-26 April 2004, CEF Forum celebrated the Global Action Week which was led by Non Governmental Organization on rights of a Child (NGOC). In December 2004, CEF Forum participated in the World Assembly of the Global Campaign for Education which was held Johannesburg, South Africa. The General Secretary for CEF Forum, Mr. Robert Tseuoa attended through the sponsorship of the Commonwealth Education Fund.

CEF Forum made an attempt in 2005 to commemorate the Global Action Week, but it never materialized for lack of funding. CEF Forum had already engaged in talks with Commonwealth Education Fund, Lesotho to weigh possibilities of funding, therefore by the end of the year (2005) the two organizations had reached an agreement for funding. This was not formalized until May 2006 when a fulltime Coordinator was recruited who in turn designed Action Plan and facilitated the official signing of an Agreement. Since both the Fund and the Forum were abbreviated as CEF it was orally resolved that the Fund will be CEF Fund while the Forum would be CEF Forum. It is for reason that Campaign for Education Forum is identified as CEF Forum.  Thereafter, CEF Forum started engaging in various advocacy campaigns.