Employability of Teacher Education Graduates in One Government – owned Teacher Training Institution in Eswatini
Keywords:
Overproduction, relevance, soft-skills, Teacher education, unemploymentAbstract
Youth unemployment and the poor absorption of tertiary graduates into the labour market contribute to a global educational crisis. The Eswatini Qualifications Framework (ESQF) 2020 highlights a disconnect between education and training and labour market needs. This article examines the employability of teacher education graduates from a government-owned institution in Eswatini, aiming to identify which majors have the highest and lowest employability rates, explore the underlying factors, and provide recommendations to enhance employability. The study is qualitative, involving former graduates (2018-2022), senior school management officers, and representatives from the teacher recruitment body. It seeks to understand participants’ experiences regarding the relevance of current course offerings to labour market demands, using seven operational versions of employability as a framework. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis, with content analysis applied. Findings revealed varying absorption rates among cohorts; some had all graduates employed, while others faced significant challenges. Factors influencing employability included imbalances in stakeholder collaboration, global crises, and fiscal challenges. Recommendations include reviewing policies for all stakeholders, diversifying and upgrading training programs, and adopting a paradigm shift in mindset to better align educational offerings with market demands
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Copyright (c) 2025 Thembekile Nobusika Msibi, Gamedze, Makhosazana, Dlamini, Caroline Lomalungelo
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