Education

KWALUSENI - In his call for innovation, unity and service, His Majesty King Mswati III has directed that the state-of-the-art facility for video and creative television production should produce billionaires from the entertainment industry.

His Majesty made it clear that the billionaires should come in the form of artists, filmmakers and creatives.

This, he said when making his address during the 43^rd University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Graduation Ceremony held at the Kwaluseni Campus yesterday.

His Majesty said he expects that the facility will produce celebrities, artists and skilled youth who will put the country on the map and contribute to economic development. The Kings said when he travels the world, he notes that entertainment is where a lot of money is made and that this happens quickly. “In the entertainment industry, it is possible to rake in E100 million or even E1 billion at once. This means that if we concentrate and push harder on this project, we will have billionaires as a result of this initiative”.

Making the announcement of officially blessing the facility, the King said he hopes proper research will be conducted to ensure that the first revenue generated becomes more than E100 million.

Known as the National Content lab, the facility has been set up with the assistance of the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM) and costs about E7 million.

It is housed within the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, which is under the Faculty of Humanities.

Delivering his speech, the King said it was with great joy and humility that he joined the institution and community to mark the 43^rd graduation ceremony, an occasion he said celebrated academic achievement, resilience and the transformative power of education.

Welcoming distinguished guests, including those from outside the kingdom, His Majesty expressed appreciation for their presence and support, emphasising that the nation had gathered to honour and celebrate the achievements of the graduands—young men and women who had successfully completed their academic journey and were ready to contribute meaningfully to the country’s development.

This year, the university conferred awards on a total of 1 510 graduands, consisting of 174 certificates, 15 diplomas, 1 274 degrees and 47 master’s degrees, marking a significant increase of 254 compared to the 1 256 graduates in 2024.

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Remember to give back - King to graduates

MATSAPHA - A call to give back has been made to the UNESWA Graduating Class of 2025.

Addressing the 2025 graduating class, His Majesty congratulated the graduates for their resilience, discipline and determination.

“You have worked tirelessly, made sacrifices and stayed the course,” he said. “Today, you are recognised not only for your academic excellence, but also for your perseverance and strength of character.” The King said the degrees and diplomas received were a symbol of trust from the nation, families and communities and that graduates were now called to nurture the nation through service, leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation. He noted that the 20 per cent increase in the number of graduates compared to last year was indicative of progress in teaching and learning and a testament to the university’s continued growth.

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Wants employable graduates who are job creators

MATSAPHA - His Majesty King Mswati III has called upon the private sector and government agencies to work hand in hand with universities to build sustainable pathways for employment and enterprise development.

“Producing employable graduates who are also job creators and innovators must remain a central goal of our higher education system,” His Majesty said, commending efforts to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

The King highlighted the university’s initiatives in establishing centres of excellence in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, climate change, wildlife research and traditional medicine.

He described the locally developed complementary medicine as a shining example of the potential of indigenous knowledge systems.

The King also celebrated the launch of the National Research Council, a vision originally conceived by the late Professor Lydia Makhubu, calling it a significant milestone that would serve as a central lab for coordinating national research efforts.

“We urge the private sector and development partners to support the commercialisation of research innovations, which will significantly grow our economy,” he said. Elaborating in his speech, the King reaffirmed government’s steadfast commitment to investing in education, noting with pleasure a seven per cent increase in the university’s 2025 budget, with 65 per cent of students sponsored by the government.

He underscored that education remained the cornerstone of sustainable development and reiterated government’s dedication to funding scholarships, infrastructure development and digital innovation.

He further highlighted a positive rise in the national literacy rate, from 89.3 to 90.7 per cent, describing it as a reflection of collective national effort and urging stakeholders to sustain the momentum.

The King said this is a sign that at Eswatini is on course to achieve the deadline of reaching 100 per cent by 2030.

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Halala Mangweni – King to Times of Eswatini IT specialist

MBABANE – “Halala Mangweni”

These are the words His Majesty the King used when congratulating Richard Zwane who won the Director’s Prize for best final year student. When his name was called, Zwane proceeded to towards the King to thank His Majesty as per custom with the words, Bayethe.

However, just as Zwane arrived before the King, he was met with the words ‘Halala Mangweni’, which means ‘Congratulations Mangweni’. The name Mangweni is a clan name used by people with the surname Zwane.

Also, the King congratulated Bonkhe Dlamini whom he also referred to as Bonkhe. Also, this caught Dlamini by surprised. Dlamini was accorded several prizes including that of best final year student in Business Finance.

Another whose name the King called is Okwuchukwu Chukwu. She was awarded with the Vice Chancellor’s Prize, awarded to the most outstanding student.

*Full article available in our publication.

His Majesty King Mswati III during a tour of the UNESWA Content Development Lab. (Pics: Courtesy)

Some of the equipment in the Content Development Lab.

His Majesty King Mswati III takes a pair of scissors from Ayabonga Dlamini before cutting the ribbon at the UNESWA Content Development Lab.

Richard Zwane, who is the Times of Eswatini IT specialist, affectionately known as ‘Systems’ among colleagues. (Pic: Joseph Zulu)