Manzini – The Swaziland National Association of Teachers has accused the Ministry of Education and Training of risking the welfare of learners by proceeding with major education reforms without sufficient preparation, consultation or proof that schools are ready.
The concerns relate to the planned introduction of Competency Based Education and a new four year secondary school programme, both scheduled to begin as schools reopen this week across the Kingdom of Eswatini.
According to reports by Eswatini Observer, SNAT Secretary General Lot Vilakati said the reforms are being rushed and could negatively affect learners rather than improve education outcomes. He said teachers are expected to implement a new curriculum without syllabi, adequate training, enough staff or a publicly shared evaluation of earlier pilot programmes.
Vilakati said teachers are not opposed to change but are concerned about what they view as a lack of basic readiness and limited engagement with key stakeholders.
He said that with only days left before schools open, many teachers have not received syllabi, making lesson planning and assessment difficult. SNAT said this places teachers in an unfair position and undermines the effectiveness of the reforms.
The Ministry of Education and Training has announced that the education system will be restructured through the rollout of Competency Based Education and the introduction of a single four year secondary school cycle covering Grades 8 to 11. The reforms are intended to promote practical skills, creativity and competency mastery rather than exam focused learning. New subjects including music, dance, fine art and drama are also set to be introduced.
SNAT said it does not oppose the modernisation of education or efforts to equip learners with skills relevant to the economy. The union’s concern lies in the manner in which the reforms are being implemented and the exclusion of key voices from the process.
According to the reports, Vilakati said SNAT held discussions with government officials but no agreement was reached. He said the union does not support the current form of Competency Based Education and believes several unresolved issues make the rollout premature.
One of the main concerns raised is the absence of a comprehensive report on the performance of Competency Based Education at primary school level, where it has already been introduced. SNAT said teachers, parents and the public have not been given access to information on its outcomes, challenges or unintended effects.
The union said extending the system to secondary schools without such an assessment amounts to expanding a programme whose effectiveness has not been fully examined.
SNAT also raised concern about the lack of clear guidance on curriculum content, progression and assessment methods. Vilakati said Competency Based Education requires careful planning, new teaching approaches and sufficient time, which are difficult to achieve when basic resources are missing.
The union called for at least six months of retraining for teachers, saying short workshops or last minute orientations are inadequate for reforms of this scale.
Staffing shortages were also cited as a major obstacle. SNAT said the new system requires smaller class sizes and closer teacher involvement, yet no clear plan has been presented to address the current shortage of educators.
Among the union’s demands are the permanent employment of an additional 4,000 teachers and the absorption of about 4,000 teachers currently on temporary contracts into permanent positions. SNAT said without this, acceptable teacher pupil ratios of 1 to 45 in primary schools and 1 to 35 in high schools will remain unattainable.
The introduction of new subjects such as music, dance and drama has also raised concerns, with SNAT saying these subjects require trained specialist teachers who have not yet been recruited.
Vilakati also called for the redeployment of about 700 PGCE qualified teachers currently teaching in primary schools to high schools, saying they are better suited to secondary education and should be placed and remunerated accordingly.
On the proposed four year secondary school programme, which replaces the existing junior and senior secondary structure, SNAT said the pilot conducted in selected schools last year has not been reported on publicly.
According to the reports, no document has been shared with stakeholders detailing what worked, what did not and what adjustments were needed before the programme was rolled out to all schools.
SNAT said the lack of transparency makes it difficult to assess whether the new structure addresses existing challenges or merely shifts them within the education system.
The union also questioned whether employers and other stakeholders have been consulted on the new education pathway and the type of graduates the system aims to produce, saying education reforms should involve broader engagement beyond government.
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