Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
In Eswatini, the official entry age for pre-primary education is 3 years old. While the national legal framework does not specify any number of years of free or compulsory pre-primary education, as of 2013, the net enrolment rate for pre-primary education marked 19.32%.
Governance
The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) is responsible for education policy and budget management in Eswatini, and within it, the Early Childhood and Care Education (ECCE) department coordinates early childhood programmes and establishes quality standards. However, budget allocations for this subsector remain limited and the early learning education budget is primarily sourced by households. In the 2021 fiscal year, it represented about 0.1 percent of the total education budget.
Tuition-free status
Public pre-primary education is not tuition-free according to national laws and policies.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Government support is limited and is generally provided directly to ECCE centres or training institutions rather than through subnational governments. This support covers areas such as teacher training, curriculum development, learning materials, and teacher salaries, while recurrent transfers remain minimal.
2. Education resources to institutions
In 2019, the Government of Eswatini launched a Grade 0 pilot programme for five-year-old children in 80 public primary schools, primarily located in rural areas. Under the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) 2022–2034, the government aims to expand Grade 0 coverage to 90 percent of all five-year-olds by 2034, with plans to finance the construction and upgrading of classrooms, prioritise pro-poor and inclusive infrastructure, and ensure accessibility for children with special educational needs. The plan also includes provisions to accommodate Grade 0 teachers, build indoor and outdoor learning facilities, recruit qualified early-childhood teachers, and extend school feeding schemes to all Grade 0 learners in public schools. However, the operational costs of Grade 0 classes continue to be covered by communities and parents through school fees.
3. Education resources to students and families
No evidence was found of any financial support mechanisms or transfer programmes designed to improve access to pre-primary education.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
No evidence was found of any social policy or transfer programme designed to improve access to pre-primary education.
