{"id":4929,"date":"2025-10-28T14:00:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T12:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swazidailynews.com\/?p=4929"},"modified":"2025-10-28T14:00:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T12:00:18","slug":"minister-applauds-macmillans-role-in-advancing-eswatinis-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/4929\/business\/minister-applauds-macmillans-role-in-advancing-eswatinis-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Minister applauds Macmillan\u2019s role in advancing Eswatini\u2019s education"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
By Thokozani Mazibuko
The Minister of Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, has hailed Macmillan Education Eswatini as a key partner in the country\u2019s journey toward delivering quality and culturally relevant education, describing the company\u2019s contributions as a cornerstone of Eswatini\u2019s educational transformation.
The Minister made these remarks on Monday during his official visit to Macmillan Publishers\u2019 premises in Matsapha, where he met with management and staff to assess the company\u2019s ongoing collaboration with the Ministry in supporting curriculum development, textbook production, and digital learning initiatives.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a great honour to be here today on this official visit to Macmillan Education Eswatini, a valued partner in our national journey to deliver quality education to all Emaswati,\u201d Nxumalo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis visit is not only an opportunity to engage with our longest-standing partners but also to reflect on the impact of our shared efforts and look towards the future with renewed courage.\u201d
Education and Industry: A partnership for National growth<\/strong>
Nxumalo noted that Macmillan\u2019s location in Matsapha Eswatini\u2019s industrial hub symbolized the interconnection between education and economic development. He commended the company for not only producing high-quality educational materials but also contributing to the local economy by supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was pleased to learn that, over and above providing quality educational materials, the company supports local entrepreneurs by procuring from them and ensuring they are paid before their due invoice dates,\u201d the Minister highlighted.<\/p>\nMinister Owen with Macmillan Publishers top brass.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\u201cBy publishing high-quality educational resources, Macmillan has helped develop a skilled workforce and seasoned entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n
This contribution has supported the rise of enterprises that depend on a literate and capable population, showing how education and industry can work hand in hand to drive national progress.\u201d
A transformative partnership rooted in history<\/strong>
Reflecting on the history of Eswatini\u2019s education system, Nxumalo celebrated what he termed one of the most \u201ctransformative partnerships in the history of education\u201d the collaboration between the Government of Eswatini and Macmillan Publishers.
He traced the roots of this partnership back to the mid-1970s, when the Government made a bold decision to end reliance on imported textbooks from apartheid-era South Africa and instead develop materials that reflected Eswatini\u2019s values, language, and aspirations.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore 1978, all primary school textbooks used in Eswatini were imported from South Africa, reflecting the apartheid-era Bantu Education system a system foreign to our values, our culture, and our aspirations as an independent nation,\u201d Nxumalo explained.<\/p>\n
Between 1974 and 1977, with support from the World Bank, USAID, and universities in the United States, up to 40 Swati curriculum specialists were trained to design and develop Eswatini\u2019s first national curriculum.<\/p>\n
The result was the establishment of the Primary Curriculum Unit, now known as the National Curriculum Centre (NCC) in Manzini.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy 1977, the NCC had successfully developed the first textbooks for Grades 1 and 2 in English, Mathematics, SiSwati, and Science. This was a defining moment the birth of an education system built by emaSwati, for emaSwati,\u201d the Minister said proudly.<\/p>\nThe Minister inside the Macmillan Publishers storeroom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Nxumalo lauded the role of His late Majesty King Sobhuza II in facilitating a groundbreaking partnership between the Government and Macmillan one that was later recognized globally as a model public\u2013private partnership for developing nations.<\/p>\n
Under His Majesty\u2019s visionary leadership, Macmillan\u2019s Southern African headquarters were relocated from Johannesburg to Matsapha, establishing Macmillan BOLESWA Publishers and the Macmillan Swaziland National Publishing Company (MSNP).<\/p>\n
This collaboration produced not only textbooks but an entire ecosystem of educational publishing that empowered local authors, illustrators, and curriculum experts.<\/p>\n
\u201cImportantly, all textbooks used in our primary schools today are written and developed by Eswatini\u2019s own curriculum designers,\u201d Nxumalo emphasized.
Driving digital transformation<\/strong>
The Minister also praised Macmillan for embracing innovation by supporting the Ministry\u2019s blended learning project, which utilizes the company\u2019s digital platform to deliver 21st Century teaching and learning.<\/p>\n
The pilot project began in 2022 with two public schools and a cohort of Grade 4 learners, who are now part of a digital learning transformation that is expected to expand nationwide in the coming years.<\/p>\n
Nxumalo said the Ministry remains committed to building on this legacy as the country transitions toward Competency-Based Education and digital learning models.<\/p>\n
He encouraged Macmillan and other publishers to continue playing an active role in shaping the next phase of educational reform.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe future of this nation is great, especially as we work together to deliver the most prized asset that any nation can possess a well-educated and empowered generation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we navigate the realities of a rapidly changing world, His Majesty\u2019s Government will continue to seek out innovative ideas from publishers such as Macmillan. Your creativity and strategic foresight are essential in preparing our learners for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nxumalo concluded by expressing deep appreciation to Macmillan Education Eswatini for its unwavering support and investment in the country\u2019s education system.<\/p>\n
<\/div><\/strong><\/p>\n
\u201cLet me express our deepest appreciation to Macmillan Education Eswatini for its dedication to the development of our nation. May this partnership continue to flourish,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Thokozani Mazibuko The Minister of Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, has hailed Macmillan Education Eswatini as a…","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4934,"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":[21,22,24,25],"tags":[46,55,60,58],"class_list":["post-4929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","category-eswatini-daily-news","category-future","category-national","tag-africa","tag-business","tag-education","tag-national","cs-entry","cs-video-wrap"],"yoast_head":"\n
Minister applauds Macmillan\u2019s role in advancing Eswatini\u2019s education - Eswatini Daily News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/4929\/business\/minister-applauds-macmillans-role-in-advancing-eswatinis-education\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Minister applauds Macmillan\u2019s role in advancing Eswatini\u2019s education - Eswatini Daily News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Thokozani Mazibuko The Minister of Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, has hailed Macmillan Education Eswatini as a…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/4929\/business\/minister-applauds-macmillans-role-in-advancing-eswatinis-education\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Eswatini Daily News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-28T12:00:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Eswatini Daily News\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Eswatini Daily News\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\\\/edn\\\/4929\\\/business\\\/minister-applauds-macmillans-role-in-advancing-eswatinis-education\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\\\/edn\\\/4929\\\/business\\\/minister-applauds-macmillans-role-in-advancing-eswatinis-education\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Eswatini Daily News\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\\\/edn\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a2e7ad908f0e6606cc49214ec19776de\"},\"headline\":\"Minister applauds Macmillan\u2019s role in advancing Eswatini\u2019s education\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-28T12:00:18+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\\\/edn\\\/4929\\\/business\\\/minister-applauds-macmillans-role-in-advancing-eswatinis-education\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":869,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\\\/edn\\\/4929\\\/business\\\/minister-applauds-macmillans-role-in-advancing-eswatinis-education\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"\",\"keywords\":[\"Africa\",\"Business\",\"Education\",\"National\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Business\",\"Eswatini Daily News\",\"Future\",\"National\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\\\/edn\\\/4929\\\/business\\\/minister-applauds-macmillans-role-in-advancing-eswatinis-education\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\\\/edn\\\/4929\\\/business\\\/minister-applauds-macmillans-role-in-advancing-eswatinis-education\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\\\/edn\\\/4929\\\/business\\\/minister-applauds-macmillans-role-in-advancing-eswatinis-education\\\/\",\"name\":\"Minister applauds Macmillan\u2019s role in advancing Eswatini\u2019s education - 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