KWALUSENI – His Majesty King Mswati III has called for more universities in all four regions to ease admission shortages.
The King expressed concern that thousands of emaSwati who aspire to pursue higher education are unable to secure admission because existing institutions cannot accommodate them.
The King said the country needed to expand its higher education sector by establishing universities specialising in different fields and decentralising them to ensure that students across the country had access to tertiary education.
His Majesty was speaking during the 44th Graduation Ceremony of the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) yesterday. He revealed that the institution had received approximately 9 000 applications, but only 3 000 applicants had been admitted.
He described the figures as a concern that required urgent intervention, saying the country could not afford to hinder the educational aspirations of young people because of inadequate spaces at tertiary institutions.
“The eagerness to get access to education was demonstrated by the figures we have heard here today, of the 9 000 applications that have been received by the institution, and yet only 3 000 have been able to get access,” the King said.
He said the situation called for stakeholders in the education sector to return to the drawing board and devise strategies to expand institutions of higher learning to meet the growing demand.
“The inadequate spaces in our tertiary institutions are compelling us to go back to the drawing board. It now calls upon us that all stakeholders within the sector devise strategies that will ensure that institutions of higher learning are expanded to meet the growing demand. This needs to happen as soon as reasonably possible,” he said.
The King emphasised that the expansion of tertiary education should be accompanied by decentralisation, ensuring that each of the country’s four regions had access to higher learning institutions.
“As we embark on the expansion of our tertiary education agenda, let us take into consideration our decentralisation agenda. The country has various regions, and it is imperative that we ensure each region has access to tertiary education. We trust that, as we embark on this plan, this will be given high priority,” His Majesty said.
He said Eswatini should also consider establishing universities around specialised fields of study, drawing from models he had observed in other countries where institutions focused on particular areas of expertise. “I have witnessed in some countries where universities are structured around specialisation. These are built next to one another, with each university having a speciality to accommodate the preferred skills of students,” he said.
The King said this approach could help the country produce highly skilled professionals capable of meeting the demands of different sectors of the economy. His Majesty also called for the establishment of the proposed University of Science and Technology, saying it would create additional opportunities for students, while helping the country respond to the growing demand for tertiary education.
He said the establishment of the institution had already been mandated and urged stakeholders to find ways of ensuring that it became a reality.
“I do recall that the establishment of the University of Science and Technology has been mandated in Eswatini. This presents an opportunity for students, and it calls upon us to find the means to ensure that we establish this institution,” he said.
The King said the country needed to prioritise education alongside other sectors targeted for growth, particularly the economy, because education is essential to preparing young people for the demands of the 21st century.
He noted that high-technology industries were becoming increasingly dominant across the world, making it necessary to review the country’s education curriculum to ensure students acquired relevant skills. “As we notice across the world, the dominant skill that is occupying business and many other sectors is the high-tech industry, and this requires us to revisit our curriculum to ensure that our students are well equipped with high-tech skills,” he said. He further called for innovative financing arrangements to support the establishment and expansion of educational institutions.
The King observed that access to finance was often discussed in the context of business development, but said educational centres and facilities should also benefit from financing opportunities because of the significant demand for higher education. He stressed that loans and other funds provided to educational institutions should be properly utilised to ensure that they could be repaid.
His Majesty said a well-educated and literate population was an important asset in attracting investors to Eswatini, as businesses required people with the appropriate skills to support their operations. He said the kingdom remained committed to ensuring that every liSwati had access to education despite limited resources. The King said this commitment was also part of the country’s obligations under the Sustainable Development Goals, which seek to ensure that people acquire education and participate meaningfully in national development. He commended parents and communities for encouraging education within families, saying their support, together with the eagerness of students to learn, should encourage government to continue investing in the sector.
The King said Eswatini had previously been an important centre of education and academic achievement in the region, demonstrating its potential to regain that position. He said the country had the capacity to become a regional education hub and produce leaders and professionals capable of contributing to development. The graduation ceremony celebrated the achievements of 1 527 graduands, including certificate, diploma, degree, master’s and doctoral candidates. The ceremony also recognised 82 international students from outside Eswatini, reflecting the university’s ability to attract students from other countries.
His Majesty congratulated the graduands, acknowledging the sacrifices, dedication and commitment required to complete their studies. He also recognised the contributions of parents, guardians and lecturers who supported them throughout their academic journeys. The King said the graduates represented an important addition to the country’s skills base and were expected to use their knowledge to contribute to national development.
He also commended the university’s partnership with the Royal Eswatini Police Academy, through which 34 police officers graduated with diplomas in Police Science. The King said a well-educated population was necessary for the country to develop the skills required across different sectors and strengthen its capacity to attract investment.
While congratulating the graduates, His Majesty cautioned that obtaining a qualification did not automatically guarantee employment. He encouraged them to use their acquired skills to identify opportunities, develop innovative solutions and find alternative ways of earning a living when formal employment was unavailable. “We are very mindful of the fact that not all who leave tertiary institutions get work. However, we are encouraged by the fact that you now carry a skill that will separate you from someone who does not have that skill,” he said.
The King urged the graduates not to limit themselves to seeking employment within Eswatini, but to explore opportunities beyond the country’s borders to gain valuable experience. He said several countries had achieved development by sending their citizens abroad to acquire knowledge and expertise, which they later brought home to strengthen their economies.
He encouraged emaSwati interested in working abroad to use legal immigration channels rather than undertake dangerous journeys in search of opportunities. His Majesty said Eswatini’s bilateral relations with other countries could provide opportunities for young people to gain international work experience. He cited Taiwan, the United States and countries in Europe as potential sources of such opportunities.
The King said during his recent visit to Taiwan, discussions had included opportunities for emaSwati to gain experience in different sectors, adding that the Taiwanese Government was keen to open up more work experience opportunities for emaSwati.
He said such exchanges could help graduates develop their skills and contribute to accelerating the country’s economic transformation. The King also praised emaSwati students who had excelled in innovation and academic competitions, saying their achievements demonstrated the country’s potential to produce skilled professionals.
Among those mentioned in the university’s address were students who had presented a logistics application at a transport summit in Angola, developed an artificial intelligence innovation to identify tomato leaf diseases, and won recognition in a regional tertiary essay competition. His Majesty said such achievements were a source of national pride and demonstrated that emaSwati had the ability to excel in science, technology and other fields.
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