Investing in Systems, Investing in Children

A new partnership between Government, GPE and education stakeholders sets out to fix the systems behind the classroom, so that every child's chance to learn is backed by stronger teachers, better data and real accountability.

Strong education systems begin with strong foundations: well-supported teachers, reliable data, and coordinated leadership. Eswatini took a decisive step toward building exactly that.  The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), together with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), UNICEF and members of the Local Education Group (LEG), officially launched the GPE System Capacity Grant (SCG) 2026–2028.

The launch was more than a ceremony. It marked the start of a three-year, US$1 million investment aimed at strengthening the systems behind the classroom, the coordination, data, teacher support and assessment structures that ultimately determine whether every child in Eswatini has a genuine chance to learn.

Why It Matters

Nearly 80 stakeholders, senior government officials, development partners, UN agencies, teacher organisations, academics, civil society, youth representatives and journalists, gathered for the occasion, a turnout that signalled the breadth of ownership the grant already commands. Their presence reflected a shared conviction: lasting improvements in learning cannot come from isolated projects, but require a system capable of sustaining change.

The grant responds directly to evidence. Its design was shaped by the 2025 Enabling Factors Analysis, which identified four persistent barriers to progress, weak sector coordination, limited data and evidence systems, uneven teacher workforce management, and the absence of a robust national learning assessment framework. Rather than treating these as separate problems, the SCG tackles them together through three linked objectives: strengthening sector coordination and accountability; developing and better managing the teaching workforce; and building a national learning assessment system worthy of the country's ambitions for its children.

Achievements and Expected Impact

Reaching launch day was itself an achievement. Over four months, UNICEF, serving as Grant Agent, facilitated six consultation meetings and six revisions of the programme document with MoET, examination and teacher-training institutions, teacher unions and development partners, producing a grant genuinely shaped by those who will carry it forward.

Implementation is expected to deliver a Partnership Compact aligning government and partner priorities; annual Joint Sector Reviews and a strengthened LEG to keep progress accountable; a Teacher Profile Management System and electronic school inspection platform to support fairer deployment and real-time oversight; expanded, partly digitised professional development for teachers and INSET trainers; and a revised National Assessment Framework, backed by a new National Assessment Unit within ECESWA, to give Eswatini a systematic way of measuring what children are actually learning.

Partnership at the Centre

Every voice at the launch returned to the same theme: partnership. The Principal Secretary of MoET committed the Ministry to leading implementation with accountability and a shared sense of purpose. UNICEF Officer in Charge, Afshin Parsi described the grant as a catalyst rather than simply a funding stream, one that must keep equity, and the learners who face the greatest barriers, at its centre. Ms Tizie Maphalala of the Local Education Group put it plainly: “leadership sets the vision, but teamwork delivers the results,” urging stakeholders to replace fragmented efforts with coordinated, results-oriented action. GPE Focal Point Daisuke Kanazawa welcomed Eswatini's progress within a global partnership spanning 94 countries, pointing to the planned Partnership Compact as the bridge to further GPE support, including the Multiplier Grant.

What It Means for Children, Teachers and Schools

Behind the technical language sits a simple promise. For children, it means an education system better able to track whether they are truly learning, and to act when they are not. For teachers, it means clearer professional development pathways, fairer deployment, and stronger support from INSET and school inspectors. For schools, it means more reliable data reaching decision-makers, and a national assessment system that can flag learning gaps early enough to close them.

Looking Ahead

The launch was a starting point, not a destination. As Eswatini shifts from planning to delivery, success will be measured not in funds disbursed but in stronger institutions, better-supported teachers, and improved learning for every child. Sustaining this momentum will require the same partnership, evidence and shared accountability that brought the grant this far, a responsibility every stakeholder in the room pledged to carry forward.