Free Primary Education (FPE) – also referred to as ‘State-funded education’ – was introduced in all of Eswatini’s public primary schools a little more than a decade ago. The Finance Minister in his 2022/23 Budget Speech referred to the FPE initiative as being viewed as a “consolidated programme, aimed at creating a conducive environment that features minimum barriers to access and quality education”. He asserted that FPE has been instrumental in addressing some of the barriers to access to schooling, and that primary school enrollment rates have increased from 72 percent in 2007 to 94 percent currently. Rijkenberg detailed how, under the FPE programme, government introduced a Personal ID Number for every pupil in order to control overspending on fees, but conceded that the processing of FPE payments remains manual and cumbersome: he gave an assurance that government is exploring ways to improve the system and migrate to electronic processes.

The Minister disclosed that in 2022, government is planning to introduce the Qualification Beyond Eswatini General Certificate of Secondary Education which aims to improve the entry requirement at university-level education. He spoke of how, in countries such as Zimbabwe and Ghana, the entry requirement at university is the A-level, while in the kingdom it remains the EGCSE. The new programme will introduce the four years of EGCSE at 28 identified schools in the country, commencing in 2022 and rolled-out to other schools in subsequent years. Upon completion of the four years, the first batch of students will then proceed to the A-Level. This programme will provide a range of disciplines beyond science, including business studies and humanities. The Minister also revealed that as an adjunct, government allocated an additional E30-million towards the e-Learning initiative.

Rijkenberg then disclosed to Parliament and nation that the audit for right-sizing the Teaching Service in all public schools regarding school quotas had been completed: the outcome was that a total of 761 teachers are being redeployed, and he was confident of the exercise achieving its main objective, that being to ensure that schools are manned by the appropriate staff in terms of both numbers and qualifications. Also completed was the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Enhancement Project which, through support from the Republic of China-Taiwan, benefited Eswatini College of Technology (ESCOT) and Gwamile Vocational Training Institute Matsapha (VOCTIM). The Finance Minister concluded his remarks on the Education and Training sector by asserting that “government continues to improve and expand infrastructure provisions, both in schools and tertiary institutions”: regarding the former, he listed the construction of 169 new classrooms, 49 staff houses and hand-washing facilities in many primary and secondary schools – plus the rehabilitation of 99 structures countrywide – while the tertiary level, the rehabilitation of Emlalatini, VOCTIM and ESCOT was said to be ongoing.

Royal Plaudits

The annual graduation ceremony at Ngwane Teachers’ Training College as often as not sees His Majesty King Mswati III deliver the keynote address in his near-customary role as Guest of Honour. Most recently, he began by commending teachers’ good work, and requesting them to continue in that vein because ultimately it benefits the entire country. The King said that teachers were making the country proud, which made them role models for pupils but in turn also brought the responsibility of knowing that whatever they do, the pupils will emulate. Everyone was a product of teachers, the monarch continued, hence teaching was a profession that should be respected. With several members of the royal family in attendance, along with the Prime Minister, various Cabinet Ministers and MPs, the 315 graduates were advised to be exemplary ambassadors for the college, wherever they were posted.

His Majesty described the ceremony as “a special occasion honouring a human resource that is key to driving our nation-building objectives through quality education…we are looking forward to seeing you play your part in building the next generation”. He urged the new teachers to remember the importance of their role, as the future of the country lies in the hands of the young people who constitute a significant portion of the total national population: “Be ready to shape the youths and guide them to be independent…help see to it that the country achieves all its goals. For this to happen, teachers should constantly seek to increase their knowledge, be of good character, creative, innovative, have high motivation and be effective in their classroom strategies.”

TERTIARY ARENA

The University of Eswatini (UNESWA) was established in 1982: its declared vision is ‘Leadership Through Excellence in Education’, while its mission is to achieve excellence in teaching and learning, research and research-training, community service and the provision of opportunities for consultancy, professional leadership and enterprise development in the contemporary context. UNESWA declares that its mission shall be achieved through:

• providing education opportunities at undergraduate and postgraduate levels
• establishing new academic programmes designed to meet the emerging needs of society
• conducting a regular review of the academic programmes to make them demand-driven to stakeholders
• creating continuing education opportunities for reinforcing a culture of lifelong learning
• generating, disseminating and preserving knowledge through research, stakeholders’ participation and development of an institutional repository
• teaching that encourages participation of students in entrepreneurship endeavours
• accounting to stakeholders that fosters efficient utilisation of resources
• coordinating and monitoring performance among all employees, and periodic evaluation and review of activities
• providing an excellent working and learning environment for staff and students

The UNESWA Foundation works to secure independent financial resources by engaging stakeholders and interested parties in strategic partnerships and thereby ease the financial burden on government.

UNESWA’s expertise is availed to students via seven faculties spread over three separately-located campus facilities: the Agriculture Faculty is situated near the country’s research station at Malkerns and its home is Luyengo Campus, formerly the Agricultural College and University Centre; Kwaluseni Campus near Manzini houses the Faculties of Commerce, Education, Humanities, Science and Social Science; Mbabane Campus – formerly the Institute of Health Sciences – constitutes the university’s Faculty of Health Sciences. There are also two institutes, covering Distance Learning and Postgraduate Studies, respectively.

UNESWA offers degree courses within the Arts, Sciences, Law, Education and Commerce, along with diploma-level Business Management, Accounting and Marketing courses. UNESWA affiliates include the Academic Development Centre, the Centre for Community Services, the Consultancy and Training Centre, the ICT Centre, the UNESWA Health, Information and Counselling Centre, the UNESWA Research Centre, the University Planning Centre and the Eswatini Institute of Research in Traditional Medicine, Medicinal and Indigenous Food Plants.

The Institute of Distance Learning caters for the study needs of those students who are unable to undertake full-time campus attendance. Medicine, Architecture and Engineering are among the degrees for which Emaswati must currently travel beyond the country to qualify. The Institute of Postgraduate Studies has a mission to maintain academic excellence and development through teaching, research and community service in all the disciplines offered at postgraduate level. It also strives to retain relevance in responding to the needs of human resources development locally, regionally and internationally.

UNESWA Library offers print and electronic resources in line with its mission to provide efficient service and access to quality academic information. The print side includes more than 180 000 monographs and current subscriptions to more than 300 journals, along with back issues to more than 600 journals. Collections are categorised into general lending, reference materials, journals, law, health science and agricultural science, with an additional special collection comprising Swatiana, SADC, World Bank, African Development Bank, IMF and UN agencies. Electronic resources are comprised primarily of EBSCOhost Online, SABINET Online and CD-ROM databases, plus free- and open-access electronic resources.

New Generation

Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) – founded 1991 and headquartered in Malaysia – is billboarded as the “World’s Most Globalised University, with students from more than 165 countries studying in 13 campuses across three continents”. It offers five levels of study -Foundation, Diploma, Professional Diploma, Degree, Postgraduate – and a choice of 21 Industries and/or Fields. LUCT Eswatini opened in 2011 at Sidwashini, near Mbabane: based on the parent institution’s tenet that “every country is different, with dissimilar priorities, and education must therefore play its part in ensuring that the next generation of a country receives learning that will prepare it adequately to participate in building the economy of that country,” the local campus set out to be a seat of education where “our Swati students will be able to acquire industry-relevant skills in addition to learning that emphasises creativity, talent-development and leadership qualities”.

LUCT Eswatini is thus inspired by the kingdom’s striving to attain Developed Nation status, as articulated in Vision 2022 as a blueprint for the country’s concerted efforts to revamp and accelerate the development of its human resources. Coined by His Majesty King Mswati III, Vision 2022 sits at the core of the country’s goal to create a sustainable economy and improve its world standing in human development. According to LUCT’s analysis, the kingdom’s traditionally agriculture- and manufacturing-reliant economy “must embrace a new age of technological innovation and spur the growth of knowledge-based industries within the country, and thereby create new opportunities previously unavailable”.

Key areas requiring attention – as identified by the institution – include the need to build the nation’s capacity for innovation and competitive participation in the globalised economy. It was therefore deemed imperative that the nation builds its human capital in a manner that will enable it to venture successfully into the production of goods and services, while simultaneously addressing poverty issues by empowering its next generation to take advantage of opportunities now arising globally in the area of new technologies and creative content creation.

LUCT Eswatini’s declared mission is “to transform Emaswati into confident, skilled, techno-savvy individuals who can contribute to build Eswatini’s economy by expanding it with new industries that are increasingly being managed by young people with the digital skills to operate a global business from their laptops…Limkokwing has the flexibility to build entrepreneurial skills through an exciting, stimulating campus environment purposefully built to stimulate creativity and innovation”. As a proffered strategy whereby to face the challenges it faces, “Eswatini must consolidate its limited human capital resources and transform them into unlimited sources of power to move forward, for in today’s world education is not just about getting the right qualifications, it is also about developing appropriate talents of an individual”.

LUCT acknowledged the responsibility of ensuring that its students are given every opportunity to acquire the best possible academic qualifications, as well as develop their talents through special projects as extracurricular involvement that will build their confidence. The institution opined that the next phase of Eswatini’s growth can be shaped by today’s generation of Emaswati who “must grab the golden opportunity to acquire the best of 21st century education and professional skills, and so transform the kingdom into a beacon of light on the African continent”. To quote from its prospectus: “Limkokwing University focuses on creativity and innovation to equip students with leadership and entrepreneurial skills to develop new businesses. Today, thousands of Limkokwing graduates are playing active roles in many important aspects of nation-building in their home countries. Here is your opportunity to acquire an internationally recognised qualification at one of the world’s most innovative institutions of higher education.”

Wesleyan Heritage

Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU), launched in 2010, is a product of the merger of three renowned colleges of education, health and theology, which are now Faculties with corresponding Departments:

• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Theology

SANU is part of a network of 53 colleges, universities and seminaries in 35 countries on six continents. Locally, the institution offers:

• Bachelor of Education in Leadership and Management of Special and Inclusive Education: a three-year programme intended for Principals and Deputy Principals or those who are being prepared for those positions and wish to incorporate children with special needs
• Bachelor of Education in Special and Inclusive Education: a three-year programme intended for teachers who wish to enhance their skills in the area of special needs
• Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences: a four-year, fulltime programme designed to educate and train Medical Laboratory professionals to proficiently conduct testing in a clinical laboratory setting
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Midwifery: a four-year programme designed to prepare competent, self-directed nurses and midwives to provide holistic care and quality health services to meet the changing needs of society
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing Anaesthesia: designed to equip students with advanced scientific knowledge and a comprehensive array of clinical experience that meets the standards of anaesthesia practice
• Bachelor of Theology: prepares men and women for service in the church by equipping them intellectually, socially and spiritually
• Post-Diploma Certificate in Midwifery Nursing Sciences: a specialised programme with a focus on midwifery practice
• Primary Teachers Diploma: a three-year programme focusing on preparing teachers who will be competent in teaching at primary school level
• Diploma in Theology: designed to enrich students’ understanding of theological and biblical truth and enable them to communicate with confidence and integrity
• Diploma in Pharmacy: designed to give students a firm foundation in pharmacology, patient-care, drug-delivery systems and more

Complementary Values

Eswatini Medical Christian University (EMCU) – established in 2010 by the Seoul-based Africa Continent Mission – continues in its striving to boast an internationally recognised Faculty of Medicine: the latter’s infrastructure currently comprises lecture theatres and a laboratory, while the number of healthcare-related courses on offer has passed the 100 mark. As EMCU is linked to Chungnam University and Chungnam National University Hospital, both located in Daejon, South Korea, its resident academic staff-tally is frequently bolstered by the arrival from South Korea of additional, highly qualified doctors and nurses with experience in lecturing.

Institution founder, Rev Chong Yang Kim, said during his most recent visit to the kingdom that EMCU’s determination to offer exceptional learning opportunities for students at degree level had resulted in an enrolment-escalation of at least 100 students per year: he declared that he was thus both optimistic and enthusiastic about the evolving medical sphere in Eswatini. EMCU’s declared mission is to realise a system of preventative healthcare that offers education programmes for both medical professionals and Emaswati. The first institution of its kind in the country, its roster of degree courses in the Allied Healthcare Sciences currently comprises Bachelor of Medicine, Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Science, Radiography, Psychology, Nursing Science, Computer Science, Social Work, Fine Arts and Theology.

The institution has over the years regularly extended its campus by constructing additional lecture theatres and laboratory facilities, brought to over 100 the number of healthcare-related courses on offer, bolstered the academic staff-tally by seconding experts from the organization’s headquarters in South Korea, and furthermore brought teams of specialists to the kingdom to impart knowledge and give hands-on assistance in EMCU-run clinics. EMCU’s declared objective in Eswatini is to realise a system of preventative healthcare that offers education programmes for both medical professionals and citizens. The pioneering vision behind EMCU was the establishment of a medical university, as evidenced by the conferring of Bachelor’s degrees in Nursing, Pharmacy, Psychology and Medical Laboratory Sciences, as well as Diploma in Radiography.

COMPREHENSIVE

Gwamile Vocational Training Institute Matsapha (VOCTIM) offers certificate and diploma courses in various disciplines: they respond to market demand and thereby fill the gap created by Eswatini having more university-eligible school-leavers each year than available admissions. Gwamile VOCTIM recently added Automotive Diagnosis to its Automotive Engineering Department, and Motor Control to its Electrical Engineering Department. 

Eswatini College of Technology (ESCOT) is in a bid to attain university status and meet the requirements of its sister institution in South Africa, namely the Vaal University of Technology. ESCOT currently offers Bachelor of Technology degrees in Tourism Management, Information Technology and Human Resource Management, as well as diplomas in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Building Studies, Design & Technology, Automotive, Hospitality Studies and Secretarial Studies.

The Institute of Development Management (IDM) is a regional organization in Eswatini, Botswana and Lesotho, and which strives to meet requirements within the public, parastatal and private sectors through development-orientated activities that include training, consultancy, research, and the establishment of a Management Resource Centre. IDM serves to enhance managerial knowledge and skills, provide training and consultancy, refine organizational structures including administrative and management procedures, expand the database available to decision-makers, and extend public awareness of all aspects of development.

The International Development Centre for Africa serves to build the capacity of individuals and organizations through training, consultancy and management- development services. Specialist fields include Agriculture and Environment Sciences, Economics and Trade, Finance and Accounting, Gender and Participatory, Health Services Delivery, Human Resources/PR, IT, Logistics and Procurement, Management Development, Management of Information Systems, Project Management and Secretarial Administration.

Lwati Training Institute offers a comprehensive range of courses for middle and senior managers, as well as for supervisory-level staff. Modular courses are tailored to meet the requirements of a single client or group. The Management Services arm offers specialised consultancy services that include collective bargaining, organizational analysis and restructuring, terms and conditions of service, job evaluation and grading, institutional strengthening, recruitment and selection, strategic planning, corporate planning, financial services, counselling, conferences and seminars.

Mananga Centre for Regional Integration and Management Development offers

Executive Management Development programmes including Rural Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction, Environment and Sustainable Development, and Health Management; Accredited diploma and degree courses focusing on developing leaders and professionals in the areas of Innovation and Technology, Business and Development Studies; Graduate courses aimed at leaders, captains of industry and champions of development in the business, civil society and public sectors; Courses at Master’s level, including Master’s in Leadership and Change Management, Business Administration and Strategic Management.

A range of institutions that serve the education, healthcare, technical, commercial and agricultural sectors are to be found in Eswatini’s two cities and main towns. These include the Ngwane Park Youth Training Centre, the National Handicraft Training Centre, the Emlalatini Development Centre, the College of Nursing, the Manzini Industrial Training Centre, the School of Appropriate Farm Technology and the Nhlangano Agricultural Skills Training Centre.