UNaledi Pandor wazalwa ngomhlaka-7 Disemba 1953, eThekwini wakhulela emndenini ofundile njengoba ubaba wakhe kwakunguJoe Matthews kanti umkhulu wakhe kwakunguZ.K. UMatthews. Umndeni wakhe washiya iNingizimu Afrika waya ekudingisweni ngo-1961, okokuqala eLesotho naseZambia, ngaphambi kokuzinza eNgilandi. Ngaphambi kokuba aqede isikole, baphinde bathuthela eBotswana, lapho aqeda khona unyaka wakhe wokugcina wama-O Levels.
Ngenkathi eseBotswana, uNaledi waphothula iziqu zobungcweti kwezobuthishela, ngaphambi kokubuyela eLondon eyophothula iziqu ze-postgraduate kanye ne-Master’s yakhe, egxile kulokhu: “Education in South Africa and the issues of race.” Ngemuva kokusebenza njengothisha eBotswana, lapho ahlangana khona nomyeni wakhe, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wabuyela eNingizimu Afrika ezosebenza ekolishi lokuqeqesha othisha. Ngesikhathi sakhe sokuphumula, waqhuba izinhlelo zokufunda nokubhala, ezaholela ekusungulweni kweThe Union of Democratic University Staff Association, ayengumsunguli wayo, kanye nezinye izifundiswa. Lo mzamo uholele enqubeni yokuncenga izifundiswa zabamnyama nezinenqubekela phambili ukuba ziveze imibono yazo ngeNingizimu Afrika yangomuso, futhi zahlanganisa uNaledi noDokotela Blade Nzimande namanye amaqabane emzabalazweni olwa nobandlululo. Kamuva wadlulela e-University of Cape Town lapho agcina esengumsizi woMqondisi we-English for Academic Purposes.
Washiya i-University of Cape Town waba nguMqondisi Omkhulu we-Desmond Tutu Educational Trust, ngaleso sikhathi ayesebambe iqhaza ekuholeni izinqubomgomo zezemfundo ze-ANC elindele inguquko yenkululeko. Ngemuva kokuba yilungu lePhalamende ngo-1994 akazange akushaye indiva ukuqhubekisela phambili imfundo yakhe futhi wanikezwa i-MA kuLinguistics evela eNyuvesi yaseStellenbosch ngo-1997. Umsebenzi wakhe wezepolitiki nawo uchume kwathi ngo-1998 waba yiPhini likaSihlalo woMkhandlu Kazwelonke Izifundazwe futhi wakhethwa njengoSihlalo kusuka ngo-1999 kuya ku-2004.
Njengoba uNaledi echithe yonke impilo yakhe yobuntu emdala ebandakanyeka ezindabeni zemfundo ngezindlela ezahlukahlukene, wabiza iSub-Committee on Higher Education nephalamende le-Education Portfolio Committee. Ngemuva kokhetho lukazwelonke lwango-2004, uNaledi waqokwa okokuqala njengoNgqongqoshe Wezemfundo futhi kamuva waba nguNgqongqoshe Wezasekhaya.
Njengamanje uNaledi Pandor usebenza njengoNgqongqoshe Wezesayensi Nobuchwepheshe naseKomitini Eliphezulu Likazwelonke le-ANC. Phambilini uke waba nguNgqongqoshe Wezasekhaya kusuka ngonyaka ka-2012 kuya ku-2014 kanye noNgqongqoshe Wezemfundo kusuka ngo-2004 kuya ku-2009. Unikele ngamandla amakhulu emkhakheni wezinguquko kwezemfundo , enkolelweni yakhe ebesinesikhathi eside ukuthi lokhu kwakha itshe legumbi lenguquko esimeme yezenhlalo nezomnotho.