Eswatini

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The Kingdom of Eswatini is a small state of the Commonwealth with a population of over 1.2 million (World Bank, 2022).

COL’s work in Eswatini is focused primarily in the areas of higher education and open schooling. Eswatini is part of the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) network and benefits from programmes offered by COL’s regional centre, the Southern African Development Community’s Centre for Distance Education (SADC-CDE). Learners from Eswatini are also participating in COL’s free online courses and other openly available resources.

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 15-64 years old¹
18.6%		24.7%
Female (2021)		Male (2021)

Completion rate, lower secondary education for the school year ending in 2019¹
50.5%		41.5%
Female		Male

Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education for the school year ending in 2013¹
6.6%		7%
Female		Male

Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications in secondary education¹
72%		74.5%
Female (2015)		Male (2015)

1. UNESCO Institute for Statistics Data Centre, retrieved in May 2023

Highlights

With the ICT Augmentation support and related activities facilitated by COL, Emlalatini Development Centre is progressively able to offer blended and online learning.
The University of Eswatini (UNESWA) is implementing COL’s institutional employability framework.
Over 1,100 nurses/midwives in Eswatini successfully completed one or more professional development courses.
Eswatini Higher Education Council developed guidelines for institutional assessment and programme evaluation.

Partners

Partnerships are fundamental to COL’s work. Strategic partnerships allow COL to broaden its reach and engage at global, regional and national levels, while implementation partners support COL’s work in communities and institutions across Commonwealth Member States. Partners include multilateral organisations, regional bodies, national governments, government agencies, foundations, civil society organisations, public and private (not-for-profit) institutions and the private sector. COL partnerships assist in improving and extending teaching and learning services to people in the developing Commonwealth.

COL’s partners in Eswatini include:

Ministry for Education and Training
Emlalatini Development Centre (EDC)
Eswatini Nursing Council
University of Eswatini (UNESWA)

Key Contacts

Focal Point

Dr Buyisile Dladla
Chief Inspector of Tertiary Education
Ministry of Education and Training

Literacy rate (2020)¹
89.5%		89.1%
Female, Adult (15+)		Male, Adult (15+)

Economic Activity – Labour Forces Participation (2016)¹
50.1%		57.7%
Female, Ages 15-64		Male, Ages 15-64

Political Decision Making (2018)¹
22.1%
Share of seats held by women in national parliament

Life expectancy (2023)¹
63.2		53.4
Female		Male

1. COL gender country profile October 2023

59	120
Individuals using the internet (%)¹	Mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹

2.6	110
Fixed-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹	Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹




1. International Telecommunication Union (ITU), retrieved in May 2023.

Eswatini

Highlights

Partners

Key Contacts

Focal Point

Notable Mention

More Information

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