Eswatini Teachers Achieve Continental First with Institut Français Classe Programme Graduation

Historic Graduation Marks New Era for French Education in Eswatini

Mbabane, Eswatini – A significant milestone in African education was reached on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, as fifteen Eswatini teachers became the first on the continent to successfully complete the esteemed Institut Français (IF) Classe programme. The graduation ceremony, held at the Alliance Française de Mbabane, represents a pivotal moment for French language education and professional teaching standards within the Kingdom.

Intensive Training for Enhanced Pedagogy

The pioneering educators, drawn from schools across all four regions of Eswatini, including St Michael's Primary School in Manzini and Lubombo Central High School, underwent months of rigorous training. The comprehensive programme focused on several key areas:

• Advanced language mastery
• Modern teaching methods
• Learner-centred pedagogy

Upon their return to classrooms, these teachers are now equipped to transform the approach to French language instruction, injecting new energy, creativity, and global relevance into their lessons.

Strategic Investment in Quality Education

The graduation ceremony brought together prominent national and international stakeholders, underscoring the importance of this achievement for Eswatini's education sector. Among the attendees were Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Education and Training Naniki Mnisi and Senior Inspector for French Annelisa Stoffels.

Principal Secretary Mnisi lauded the IF Classe programme as more than just a training initiative, describing it as a 'strategic investment in the quality of teaching and learning in Eswatini's schools.' She emphasized that by strengthening teacher capacity, the programme directly contributes to building a skilled, competitive, and globally connected workforce. Mnisi further noted that the initiative aligns perfectly with Eswatini's national development goals and the global commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education. The enhanced skills acquired by the teachers are expected to prepare learners for new regional and international opportunities in higher education, tourism, diplomacy, and global trade.

Senior Inspector Stoffels echoed these sentiments, highlighting the programme as a crucial investment in human capital development that supports the Ministry's mandate for continuous professional growth among educators.

Looking Ahead: Expanding French Language Education

The success of the IF Classe initiative is a testament to the strong collaboration between the Ministry of Education, the French Embassy, and the Alliance Française. Looking to the future, the launch of the FEF Project in January 2026 was announced, which aims to train an additional 40 Emaswati French teachers. This expansion ensures that the positive impact of the IF Classe programme will continue to grow nationwide. As Eswatini prepares to implement a four-year secondary education programme and transition to Competency-Based Education (CBE) in 2026, the IF Classe programme serves as a powerful blueprint for future teacher development across all subjects.