LOBAMBA – THE ministry of education and training has announced plans to reduce the number of students enrolling in teaching programmes as part of its efforts to address the growing number of unemployed graduates in the country.
This was revealed by Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo during the presentation of the ministry’s 2025/26 Annual Performance Report to the portfolio committee yesterday.
The minister was responding to concerns raised by senators about the increasing number of qualified teachers who are without jobs.
Nxumalo said the issue was not new and it requires urgent action from all stakeholders. He explained that the country was currently producing more teachers than the education system can absorb.
“This issue is big. We are overproducing and need to reduce the number of enrolments,” he said. He added that if the situation is not controlled, more graduates would continue to struggle to find jobs.
Senators expressed serious concerns over the matter, saying the situation has been ongoing for years without a clear solution.
Senator Lizzie Nkosi noted that the country continued to produce a large number of teachers every year despite the lack of available jobs.
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“We produce hundreds of teachers a year. Why are we still producing teachers when already we have big number of unemployed educators?” she asked.
Nkosi said the high number of students enrolling in teaching programmes was making the problem worse.
Senator Sigombeni Dlamini noted that many graduates across different fields were struggling to find jobs, with teaching being one of the most affected.
“There are a lot of graduates who do not have jobs. We need practical solutions that will benefit young people,” he added.
In response, Nxumalo said the ministry was working on strategies to better manage enrolment in teachers training institutions. He explained that reducing intake was one of the key steps that would help control the number of graduates entering the job market each year. He also highlighted the importance of aligning training programmes with the needs of the country.
Meanwhile, Chief Zabeni raised another issue concerning teachers who are currently working on contracts. He asked how long contract teachers are expected to serve before they can be considered for permanent positions.
This concern reflects the uncertainty faced by many educators who are already in the system but do not have job security.
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