MBABANE – Eswatini continues to be commended for introducing free primary education, through which government pays school fees on behalf of pupils.
However, the issue of top-up fees and the absence of a similar programme at secondary level have long hindered the academic ambitions of many children.
The concern extends beyond top-up fees or the lack of free secondary schooling. There are additional costs tied to education which, when considered collectively, make schooling unaffordable for some parents.
Eswatini News has established that as the new academic year approaches, parents are confronting a stark economic challenge, with new data showing that the cost of sending children back to school is rising alarmingly.
Despite government’s policy of free primary education, official statistics indicate that essential expenses such as uniforms, stationery and other compulsory items have risen sharply, placing a heavy strain on household finances.
The Central Statistical Office’s (CSO) latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) Report for October 2025, released this week, paints a concerning picture.
While the kingdom’s overall inflation rate remains relatively stable at 2.9 per cent, price pressures in education-related categories are significantly higher.
The most striking figure is a 9.5 per cent year-on-year increase in the cost of ‘Pre-primary and Primary Education’.
This presents an apparent contradiction for households, given that primary education is officially government-funded and free of tuition fees.
The sharp increase highlights a surge in the ‘hidden costs’ of schooling — the vital items parents must purchase to ensure their children can fully participate in school life.
“The data is unequivocal,” the report states, highlighting specific categories that are hitting parents’ pockets. It is also mentioned that the cost of sending a child to school is being driven by unavoidable expenses on essentials.
A detailed analysis of the CPI report reveals precisely where families are feeling the pinch. The single largest increase comes from the category of ‘Newspapers, Books and Stationery’, which has seen a staggering 14.0 per cent increase since October 2024.
This includes everything from exercise books and pens to textbooks and other academic materials, all of which are compulsory for daily school life.
*…
This will cause dropouts - SNAT
MBABANE – The increase in the cost of schooling expenses will result in pupils dropping out of school.
This has been noted by the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT). Responding to questions, the SNAT Secretary General Lot Vilakati, said the increased expenses can result from many causes.
In addition, he said high taxes also contribute as they result in the parents not having enough money to pay for school fees or other expenses.
He said as a result, some pupils could find themselves not being able to attend class and dropping out all altogether.
Vilakati then said that the other challenge is that parents did not seem to be bothered about this.
He said while SNAT normally pushes for government to put more funding to alleviate the cost of education, unlike many parents, they can afford to pay school fees despite that this strains their finances.
*…
‘This will be huge burden on elderly’
MBABANE – It is a known fact that many children live with their grandparents who are unemployed or low- income earners.
This was noted by some parents. Senior citizen Shishane Maseko said the biggest victims of this increase in the cost of education are the parents who are mostly senior citizens.
He said this is because pupils usually live with their grandparents. He said many of these mostly earn E600.
Maseko said this is the money they obtained from the elderly grants.
Maseko said as a result, they are not able to afford school expenses, especially at high school.
He said in addition, pupils need to pay for transport and also carry some cash to school. Maseko wondered how many parents could afford this.
Also, he said a majority of emaSwati are earning below E3 000, adding that this is because they mostly work in plantations where salaries are around E3 000.
The senior citizen, just like SNAT, also warned that this increase will result in many pupils dropping out of school.
Maseko’s words were also echoed by more parents who asked not to be mentioned for fear that their children could be victimised.
*Full article available in our publication
SNAT Secretary General Lot Vilakati said the increase in the cost of schooling expenses will result in pupils dropping out. (File pic)