EZULWINI – The Ministry of Education and Training has been urged to address persistent learner dropout, poor performance in mathematics and science, inadequate funding for vulnerable learners and weaknesses in technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
These are among the key findings of the first joint review of the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) 2022–2030, which assessed the implementation of the plan’s first operational phase and established a baseline against which future progress will be measured.
The findings and resolutions of the review conference were presented by Zwakele Dlamini, Under Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training, who read out the agreements reached by participants.
The review was led by the ministry, with technical support from UNICEF and other development partners, including the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and the European Union.
The conference sought to assess the performance of the education sector, identify obstacles to implementation and agree on priority actions to improve the delivery of education services.
The Minister of Education and Training, Owen Mthwalo, officially opened the indaba. His address was delivered by Principal Secretary Nanikie Mnisi.
One of the major findings was that, although access to primary education had largely been achieved, too many learners were failing to remain in school and progress through the education system.
The review identified learner repetition and dropout as particular concerns around Grades V and VI at primary level and Forms II and IV at secondary level.
Secondary school repetition was reported at 15.2 per cent, while secondary school dropout had increased by approximately 61 per cent over two years.
The review attributed the challenges to several factors, including the cost of schooling beyond tuition, learner pregnancy, hunger and unmet psychosocial needs.
Although government provides school grants, these were estimated to cover between 30 and 69 per cent of the actual cost of schooling, leaving families to meet the remaining expenses.
Participants also raised concerns about some schools allegedly requiring deposits ranging from 30 to 90 per cent in January, placing additional financial pressure on parents at the beginning of the school year.
The review further heard that some schools were holding learners back for examinations, contrary to the existing repetition policy.
While school feeding programmes reportedly reached almost every school, other interventions for orphans and vulnerable children, learners with disabilities and those requiring guidance and counselling services were not reaching enough beneficiaries or were arriving too late.
Only 54 per cent of children were reported to have birth certificates, while the Education Management Information System did not adequately flag learners who were vulnerable, living with disabilities or affected by pregnancy.
The review also noted the absence of full-time guidance and counselling posts in schools.
Participants generally viewed these challenges as implementation and coordination gaps rather than a lack of policies.
However, they differed on whether government should establish full-time guidance and counselling positions or provide allowances to teachers already performing these responsibilities.
The review also raised concerns about the measurement of learning outcomes, particularly in the early grades and in mathematics and science.
Although the Grade Seven pass rate was reported at 99.5 per cent, the review noted that the country did not yet have a comprehensive national framework for measuring learning outcomes.
Only eight per cent of early-grade learners were reported to have basic numeracy skills, while the presentation also highlighted concerns about reading comprehension.
The review further reported that approximately one in eight candidates sitting the Cambridge Certificate of Secondary Education examinations achieved a grade C or better in English and five other subjects. The figures cited ranged between 12.59 and 12.86 per cent.
At the same time, between 85 and 92 per cent of candidates in the assessment referred to as LSCA reportedly performed below average in mathematics and science.
The review identified the absence of a national assessment framework and a dedicated assessment unit as significant gaps.
It also noted that competency-based education had been introduced before the development of an appropriate assessment framework.
At foundation phase level, the curriculum was described as carrying a heavy subject load, while specialist teachers remained in short supply.
The review called for improvements in assessment systems and greater attention to whether learners were acquiring the skills and knowledge expected at their respective levels.
The allocation and use of education funding also emerged as key concerns.
Although education receives approximately 20 per cent of the national budget, the review reported that spending on education as a proportion of gross domestic product declined from 5.2 per cent in 2022 to 3.8 per cent in 2026.
The figures presented indicated that early childhood care and development received 0.12 per cent of the education budget, special education 0.44 per cent and technical and vocational education and training 1.61 per cent.
The review noted that salaries and related personnel costs consumed a substantial proportion of the available funding, constraining expenditure on teaching and learning materials.
It also highlighted the mismatch between the government financial year and the school calendar, which affected the timing of school grants and other operational funds.
Participants called for funding to reach schools when it was needed to support teaching and learning.
The review further emphasised the need to shift monitoring from counting inputs, such as teachers trained and materials distributed, towards measuring actual outcomes, including learning achievements, classroom practices, learner retention and graduate employment.
