Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Ministry of Education and Training has announced the temporary suspension of standardised mock examinations across the country.
This decision has been taken to allow educators sufficient time to participate in the planning and preparation process. According to Principal Secretary (PS) Nanikie Mnisi, the examinations risked being ineffective due to poor communication and inadequate involvement of key education stakeholders.
Mnisi likened the situation to planning a traditional wedding, noting that such an event requires careful and collaborative preparation. “Everyone must be on the same page for the event to be successful,” she said. “The same applies to our national standardised mock examinations. We must work together to ensure a product we can all be proud of.”
She explained that some educators had not been properly informed or consulted regarding the development of the exams. As a result, there were diverging views within the education sector, with some professionals not aligned with the Ministry’s initial plans.
“To avoid releasing a substandard product, we have chosen to temporarily suspend the examinations until such time that all stakeholders are aligned,” Mnisi said. She was quick to reassure the public that the suspension is not permanent. “We are working towards a solution that ensures all headteachers, teachers, and relevant parties are in agreement on how to proceed.”
Mnisi noted that at the beginning of each academic year, headteachers typically develop plans for how they intend to manage and lead their schools—plans which may not have included the implementation of standardised mock examinations. The sudden introduction of these exams, without prior collaboration, created challenges that could have affected the overall quality and credibility of the assessments.
The Ministry hopes that by next academic year, with adequate consultation and planning, the standardised mock examinations will be successfully reintroduced. Until then, the focus will be on creating a unified and well-informed approach that reflects the collective input of educators nationwide.
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