Digital Teaching and Learning in Eswatini Secondary Schools: Bridging Gaps for Resilient and Transformative Education.

Abstract

The 21^st century has positioned digital education as a critical driver for enhancing access, inclusivity, sustainability and relevance within the evolving demands of society and the global economy. Playing a pivotal role in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4). Eswatini demonstrates a national commitment to this global agenda. However, online learning and digital instruction in secondary schools remains limited and uneven. These disparities continue to expose the education system to vulnerabilities, limiting its resilience against future disruptions. The purpose of this study was to examine factors limiting the integration of digital teaching and online learning in secondary schools, and to identify strategies for improving access, usage, relevance, and sustainability in digital education. Employing a mixed method approach, the study was guided by the Design–Reality Gap framework to analyze the extent to which national policy intentions align with school-level realities. Data were collected through document analysis and questionnaires administered to teachers in nine secondary schools in the Manzini region. The questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. Findings revealed significant gaps undermining effective digital education: inadequate ICT infrastructure and unreliable internet (technology gap), limited digital pedagogical skills (skills gap), and fragmented professional development policies (management & support gap). These gaps limit inclusivity and resilience. The study concludes that bridging these gaps is essential for creating resilient and transformative education systems. It recommends targeted investment in ICT infrastructure and affordable internet, sustained teacher training in digital pedagogy, policy recalibration for coherence, and engage multi-stakeholder partnerships to co-create sustainable digital education ecosystems.