Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has successfully recovered over E18.5 million in scholarship funds during the first quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year.
This is according to the Ministry’s First Quarter Performance Report, which states that a total of E18 541 484.90 was collected between April and June 2025, a slight decrease of E30 283.65 compared to the E18 571 768.55 recovered during the same period last year.
The funds were recovered through three main channels:
The Scholarship Recovery Consortium (E16 796 411.62)
Civil Service deductions via the Treasury (E1 656 066.64)
The FNB Scholarship Collection account (E89 006.64)
“Although there was a marginal drop in collections, this is attributed to factors such as defaulters and already-settled loans,” reads the report.
Strengthening Awareness and Recovery
Beyond recoveries, the Scholarship Recovery Unit was active in public engagement. Officials conducted education outreach activities at high schools and community career expos, where they provided crucial guidance on:
Scholarship application procedures
Priority programme and institution choices
Cut-off points and awards
The importance of repayment upon completion of studies
During the outreach, the unit also offered on-site online application services, helping students access and submit their applications.
Dialogue with Tertiary Institutions and Students
On June 27, 2025, the Ministry convened a high-level meeting with tertiary education stakeholders, including:
Principals, Deans, Registrars, and Bursars
Student Representative Councils (SRCs)
The meeting focused on improving coordination ahead of the academic year and communicating scholarship quotas and budget allocations. Student leaders also raised concerns over the student living allowance, calling for an increase due to inflation.
“The Ministry assured students that their concerns were valid and promised to respond after internal processes had been completed,” the report added.
Looking Ahead
The Ministry has reaffirmed its commitment to improving scholarship administration, recovery, and collaboration with education institutions. It is expected that ongoing awareness efforts and stakeholder engagements will further boost compliance and sustainability of the national scholarship programme.
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