Promoting access to higher education and impactful skills development in Eswatini and beyond

EDUCATION IN ESWATINI

The Kingdom of Eswatini is a small, landlocked country in the southern-east part of Africa, sandwiched between South Africa and Mozambique, with a population of 1.1 million. Eswatini has a literacy rate of 87.5%, however 55.4% of youth faces unemployment. Eswatini is an absolute monarchy, and is classified as a low-middle income country with a GDP per capita of USD 3,894. However 42% of the population in Eswatini lives below $1.90 per day and income inequality is 10th highest in the world at 49%.

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There are 217 secondary and high schools in Eswatini, with 83,096 learners. There is a 74% survival rate in primary education, 41% high drop-out rate in secondary and 52% in high schools. Contributing factors include pregnancy, poverty, high cost of secondary education, and high levels of sexual violence.

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Each year, about 20000 students graduate from high school, with less than 7% proceeding to tertiary education. From these, less than 50% graduate, and less than 25% are gainfully employed 12 months after graduation. The Knowledge Institute’s works towards its mission of increasing Eswatini’s GER for tertiary education, while using a cost-effecting low-touch, high impact model in various ways. The main ways are:

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• Identifying and developing excelling high school students, and equipping them with the requisite knowledge and skills to be the country’s entrepreneurial, impactful and socially-responsible future leaders. 


• Identifying and developing teachers’ capabilities as high school counsellors, by equipping them with requisite skills and knowledge on information and preparedness on college, university and scholarship admissions

• Supporting the creation of an environment for as many students as possible in Eswatini to study in higher education institutions, including universities, colleges and vocational schools, by researching, curating, developing, publishing and distributing information via the media, intensive workshops and trainings, events, digital channels and others

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ACADEMICS

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Size of Graduating Class: Eswatini graduated 21,796 high school students in 2020

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Curricula Available & Participation Rate: Eswatini offers local, regional and international high school completion curricula

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KEY:

• EGCSE = Eswatini General Certificate of Secondary Education 

• IGCSE = International General Certificate of Secondary Education 

• Cambridge AS Levels

• Cambridge A Levels

• IB = International Baccalaureate

• CAPS NSC = South African National Senior Certificate 

• IEB NSC = Independent Examinations Board South African National Senior Certificate

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Academic Ranking System: In Eswatini, 50% is the passing grade, and this is the same ranking used by TKI. This is the system of equivalency across the different curricula offered adopted by the University of Eswatini and the Government of Eswatini:

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Typical Higher Education Destinations by Percent (out of 100%): Eswatini, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Taiwan, Turkey, UK (postgrad), USA

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There are currently 2,412 students from Eswatini studying outside the country. Students from Eswatini study abroad through a variety of scholarships, including: MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program, Ashinaga Africa Initiative, Mandela Rhodes Foundation, Pan African Scholars Program, Queen’s Commonwealth Scholarship, Chevening, Fulbright. 

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In addition, they study abroad through scholarship programs offered by governments of countries with a bilateral relationship with Eswatini, for example: Mauritius, Serbia, Brunei, Turkey, Taiwan, Cuba, Russia, Egypt.

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Names of Universities Eswatini Students Have Attended in The Last Five Years: 

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• All accredited universities and colleges in Eswatini

• African Leadership University

• African Leadership Academy (and on to USA universities)

• United World Colleges (and on to USA, Canada universities)

• Ashesi University

• University of Cape Town

• University of Johannesburg

• University of Pretoria

• University of Witwatersrand

• Rhodes University

• University of Botswana

• University of Zambia

• Lusaka College of Medicine

• Taiwan ICDF Scholarship Accredited Universities

• Turkish Burslari Scholarship Accredited Universities

• Postgrad: Chevening, Fulbright and Mastercard Foundation scholarship programs universities

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