Project Information Document - Strengthening Early Childhood Development and Basic Education Systems to Support Human Capital Development in ESwatini - P173151 (English)

Sectoral and Institutional Context 5. The Government of Eswatini has recognized the importance of investing in the education sector and the role it plays in building the country’s human capital and transforming its economic and social landscape. [...] The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (DPMO) is responsible for the overall coordination at the national level and is supposed to work closely with the MoET, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of Natural Resources to ensure the provision of quality ECCDE services. [...] The COVID-19 pandemic has affected learning and accentuated the digital divide between the rich and the poor in Eswatini and is likely to lead to increase in the dropout rate. [...] Salary costs, grants and subsidies constituted a massive 95 percent of total recurrent spending in the education sector, whereas spending on materials and supplies accounted for the remaining 15 In regard to the gender gap in learning outcomes in mathematics and science and enrollment in tertiary education, the factors have not been closely examined in the context of Eswatini. [...] The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) is the primary implementing agency and will be responsible for the overall coordination and implementation of the project.