{"id":1209,"date":"2025-08-10T08:22:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-10T06:22:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swazidailynews.com\/?p=1209"},"modified":"2025-08-10T08:22:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T06:22:11","slug":"e1-2-billion-policy-launched-to-close-eswatinis-skills-gap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/1209\/business\/e1-2-billion-policy-launched-to-close-eswatinis-skills-gap\/","title":{"rendered":"E1.2 billion policy launched to close Eswatini\u2019s skills gap"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>By Delisa Magagula\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For years, thousands of young Swazis have\u00a0left\u00a0university with degrees but no jobs to match them,\u00a0many\u00a0ending up in\u00a0low-pay\u00a0work, call centres, or leaving the country in search of better opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, the government says it is putting its money where its mouth is, launching a E1.2 billion National Human Resource Development Policy aimed at closing the gap between skills and jobs, and giving graduates a fair shot at a future in their own country.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eswatini has unveiled\u00a0the \u00a0E1.2\u00a0billion plan to tackle one of its biggest economic headaches,\u00a0the mismatch between what young people are studying and the jobs available in the country.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The National Human Resource Development Policy (NHRDP) 2024\u20132030, launched at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane, aims to overhaul the way the country prepares its citizens for the job market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1213\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1213\" style=\"width: 920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1213\" src=\"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/building-construction-types-carpenter-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"920\" height=\"613\" srcset=\"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/building-construction-types-carpenter-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/building-construction-types-carpenter-332x221.jpg 332w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/building-construction-types-carpenter-664x443.jpg 664w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/building-construction-types-carpenter-688x459.jpg 688w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/building-construction-types-carpenter.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 920px) 100vw, 920px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1213\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A construction worker<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was developed by the Eswatini Economic Policy Analysis &amp; Research Centre (ESEPARC) together with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The idea is to channel funds into targeted skills development, ensuring the money is not just spent on education, but on the right kind of education training that directly meets the needs of the economy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>READ MORE: <a title=\"Eswatini looking to invest in Mozambique energy projects\" href=\"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/archives\/891\">Eswatini looking to invest in Mozambique energy projects<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi said the policy was the country\u2019s answer to stubborn youth unemployment, underemployment, and a growing list of graduates who cannot find work in their fields.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis is not a ministry policy but a national framework that requires collaboration from every corner of government ministries, the private sector, schools, civil society, and development partners. We cannot work in silos,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buthelezi said E1.2 billion has been set aside for the policy\u2019s rollout over the next six years, with the bulk of the funds going towards building industry-relevant skills, creating work-based learning opportunities, and supporting entrepreneurship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Minister called on the business community to play a hands-on role in shaping the country\u2019s skills base.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou are the ultimate beneficiaries of a skilled and productive workforce. We need your support, not only in hiring graduates, but in helping us design training programmes, offering internships, and showing us where the real opportunities are,\u201d said the Minister.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He added that companies had long complained about graduates lacking practical skills. Buthelezi mentioned that the policy was their chance to fix it as they cannot do it without everyone&#8217;s participation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1210\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1210\" style=\"width: 337px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1210\" src=\"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/P4-Sub-Lead-Sunday-E1.2-billion-policy-launched-to-close-Eswatinis-skills-gap.Minister-of-Labour-Phila-Buthelezi--221x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"337\" height=\"458\" srcset=\"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/P4-Sub-Lead-Sunday-E1.2-billion-policy-launched-to-close-Eswatinis-skills-gap.Minister-of-Labour-Phila-Buthelezi--221x300.jpg 221w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/P4-Sub-Lead-Sunday-E1.2-billion-policy-launched-to-close-Eswatinis-skills-gap.Minister-of-Labour-Phila-Buthelezi--332x451.jpg 332w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/P4-Sub-Lead-Sunday-E1.2-billion-policy-launched-to-close-Eswatinis-skills-gap.Minister-of-Labour-Phila-Buthelezi--664x902.jpg 664w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/P4-Sub-Lead-Sunday-E1.2-billion-policy-launched-to-close-Eswatinis-skills-gap.Minister-of-Labour-Phila-Buthelezi--688x935.jpg 688w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/P4-Sub-Lead-Sunday-E1.2-billion-policy-launched-to-close-Eswatinis-skills-gap.Minister-of-Labour-Phila-Buthelezi-.jpg 736w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 337px) 100vw, 337px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1210\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Minister of Labour Phila Buthelezi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The launch came against the backdrop of frustration from young people who have spent years studying, only to end up in jobs unrelated to their qualifications or unemployed altogether.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many are working in call centres, textile factories, or behind shop tills. Others have left for better opportunities abroad, while some, as the Minister said, have been pushed into the wrong paths, even resorting to scams, because of desperation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The E1.2 billion policy aims to reverse that trend by creating a tighter link between what students study and the jobs available.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A central part of the plan is the creation of a National Human Resource Development Council (NHRDC), a multi-sectoral body tasked with ensuring ministries, training institutions, and private companies work together.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The council will monitor progress, keep track of spending, and ensure training programmes match the real needs of the economy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Buthelezi, the council will also have the power to convene dialogues with all stakeholders, align efforts, and demand accountability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWith the NHRDC in place, Eswatini will be better positioned to respond to rapid global changes and proactively shape its development destiny,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buthelezi made it clear that the youth were the main focus of the E1.2 billion investment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis policy is your inheritance. It is designed with you at its heart. We know the future of Eswatini belongs to you. It will open pathways not only for jobs, but also for entrepreneurship, innovation, and financial independence,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For many young people, that independence cannot come soon enough. Official figures show that youth unemployment remains high, with thousands of graduates entering a job market that simply cannot absorb them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ESEPARC chief executive Dr. Thula Dlamini said the policy represented a shift in how Eswatini thinks about education and the economy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFor years, we have been producing graduates without fully considering if the market can absorb them. This policy forces us to look at the numbers and invest where there is real demand. That means more money for technical skills, more money for entrepreneurship training, and more support for emerging industries,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dlamini said the E1.2 billion budget was not simply about spending, it was about spending wisely. The E1.2 billion will be spread across several key areas:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Skills development and training: funding new and upgraded vocational and technical programmes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work-based learning: paid internships, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training to give graduates real work experience.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Entrepreneurship support: start-up grants, business mentorship, and innovation hubs for young entrepreneurs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research and data collection: mapping skills demand across sectors to guide training investments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Capacity building: equipping educators and trainers with modern teaching tools and industry knowledge.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Officials said the money would come from a mix of government funding, development partner support, and private sector investment.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1212\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1212\" style=\"width: 921px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1212\" src=\"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/677b88fc872ddfed11514fee_2-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"921\" height=\"614\" srcset=\"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/677b88fc872ddfed11514fee_2-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/677b88fc872ddfed11514fee_2-1024x683.png 1024w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/677b88fc872ddfed11514fee_2-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/677b88fc872ddfed11514fee_2-332x221.png 332w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/677b88fc872ddfed11514fee_2-664x443.png 664w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/677b88fc872ddfed11514fee_2-688x459.png 688w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/677b88fc872ddfed11514fee_2-1044x696.png 1044w, https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/677b88fc872ddfed11514fee_2.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 921px) 100vw, 921px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1212\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Job opportunity<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some business leaders welcomed the policy but warned that it would only work if bureaucracy was kept to a minimum. One manufacturing executive, speaking on the sidelines of the launch, said the money is there, the plans are there, but they have seen too many projects stuck in red tape.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Others raised concerns about transparency in spending, citing that they have seen large budgets before, but very little to show for them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/eswatinifinancialtimes.africa\/govt-creates-over-2000-jobs-in-3-months-attracts-e30-bln-investments\/\">Govt creates over 2,000 jobs in 3 months, attracts E30 bln investments<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Labour experts say Eswatini\u2019s skills gap is not unique. Many countries in southern Africa face the same challenge: a growing youth population, expanding access to higher education, but not enough jobs in the formal economy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, what sets Eswatini\u2019s policy apart, according to Buthelezi, is the commitment to work directly with the private sector from the start, rather than treating them as an afterthought.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The launch marked the start of a six-year implementation period. The first step will be setting up the NHRDC within the next few months. Training institutions will also be asked to review their curricula to ensure alignment with the new framework.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis is where the hard work begins. A policy is only words on paper until we see the results\u00a0of graduates in jobs, businesses growing, and young people creating their own opportunities,\u201d Buthelezi said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He added that the E1.2 billion investment would be wasted if it did not produce measurable change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For many in the room, the real question was whether this policy could truly turn things around or if it would join a long list of government initiatives that were never fully delivered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buthelezi insisted the difference this time was the national buy-in. \u201cThis policy belongs to all of us. If we succeed, it will be because we worked together. If we fail, it will be because we did not,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Eswatini has unveiled\u00a0a\u00a0E1.2\u00a0billion plan to tackle one of its biggest economic headaches,\u00a0the mismatch of what young people are studying and jobs available.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"csco_display_header_overlay":false,"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,23,24,25,32,26],"tags":[55,58,75],"class_list":["post-1209","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","category-finance","category-future","category-national","category-space-future","category-swaziland","tag-business","tag-national","tag-politics","cs-entry","cs-video-wrap"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - 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