Eswatini is laying the foundation for its first Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) pilot, following a technical mission organised jointly by the Eswatini Qualifications Authority and the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF-II). The visit, held in late April 2025, brought together government institutions, training providers, industry representatives, and the EU Delegation to explore options for piloting RPL in line with national priorities.

With a large portion of the population having acquired valuable skills outside formal education, the RPL pilot aims to create new pathways for individuals to gain recognition, access further learning, and improve employment prospects. The mission included field visits to institutions such as VOCTIM, the Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation, and the Directorate of Industrial and Vocational Training, all of which expressed readiness to contribute to this transformative initiative.

This initiative builds on earlier support provided by the ACQF-II project in 2024, which facilitated national consultations and the drafting of Eswatini’s first RPL policy—now pending formal adoption. The recent mission helped clarify opportunities, challenges, and potential pilot settings. Stakeholders identified promising practices—such as trade testing and employer-led assessments—that could inform the design of an inclusive and credible RPL system once the policy is in place.

Read the full mission report and proposed policy implementation framework here.