By Inside Biz
The Eswatini Higher Education Council (ESHEC) continues to promote strategic collaborations in the country’s higher education sector to improve the quality and relevance of academic programmes continuously.
The collaborations are aimed at ensuring that academics address the country’s socio-economic needs while adhering to international standards.
With a focus on bridging the skills gap and aligning education with industry needs, ESHEC recently held two capacity-building workshops, on 17 and 19 September 2024, bringing together over 200 tertiary personnel, including academic leaders, programme coordinators, and quality assurance officers from higher education Institutions (HEIs), and other key stakeholders.
The workshops, facilitated by Samuels Squared, focussed on programme design, development, and internal quality assurance mechanisms.
When a programme does not meet accreditation requirements, ESHEC provides institutions with detailed recommendations and a timeframe for improvement. Many HEIs are currently implementing these improvement plans, with ESHEC’s compliance consultants monitoring their progress. Institutions then submit evidence of implementation to ESHEC, which is reviewed before accreditation is granted. As a result of this rigorous process, around 19 programmes were accredited in August 2024.
The Acting Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Ms Nanikie Mnisi, praised ESHEC for addressing the issue of low-quality, irrelevant programmes. She stressed the importance of aligning educational offerings with the country’s cultural and economic context, a key factor in closing the skills gap and supporting national development.
Dr Sipho Shongwe, Quality Assurance Coordinator at UNESWA, noted the workshops’ value in clarifying programme design, a previously challenging area for many institutions.
Dr Lomkhosi Mkhonta of the Institute for Research Management and Development added that adherence to ESHEC’s standards significantly enhances the quality of education, benefiting both students and the nation.
Ncamsile Makhanya, from the Matsapha Police Academy, mentioned that the institution had obtained full registration from ESHEC, and four of its programmes had been accredited.
“The workshop has been highly beneficial for higher education institutions, particularly in terms of programme development aimed at improving the country’s economy. ESHEC has also emphasised the importance of collaboration with Government, other local and international learning institutions, and industry to ensure adaptability and forward-thinking in addressing the changing landscape of higher education,” said Makhanya.
Mpendulo Magagula, from the Royal Science and Technology Park Advanced School of Information Technology, said the ESHEC capacity-building workshops arrived at the perfect time for the institution, as they were in the process of development, growth, and expansion.
“As part of our expansion, we are developing degree programmes. Previously, we only offered franchised diploma programmes. With the assistance of ESHEC, we are now creating locally produced programmes that will meet the needs of the local market and remain competitive globally,” Magagula said.