The Ministry of Labour and Social Security will begin disbursing student assistance and book allowances to first-year students funded under the Eswatini Government Pre-Service Tertiary Education and Training (PTET) Scholarship Programme on October 31, 2026, except for students studying at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) and Limkokwing University of Creative Technology.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Makhosini Mndawe, said the two institutions would experience delays due to technical setbacks affecting the systems used to process the allowances.
In a statement, Mndawe said the ministry was working with the Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology, through the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP), to resolve the challenges and ensure that affected students received their money.
“The delayed disbursement on the above-mentioned tertiary institutions is as a result of systems technical setbacks experienced, which the ministry, together with the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology through RSTP, are working extensively to resolve,” he said.
Mndawe said the ministry had adopted a shift approach, with officials working during the night and weekends to speed up the process and ensure that all eligible students received their allowances.
He said the outstanding allowances for first-year students at UNESWA and Limkokwing were expected to be processed by November 13, 2026, or earlier.
The ministry has also engaged the Student Representative Councils (SRCs) of the affected institutions and will continue communicating with them on progress made towards resolving the matter.
The announcement follows an earlier communication issued on October 6, 2026, regarding the disbursement of allowances for first-year students enrolled at local tertiary institutions.
Mndawe acknowledged the cooperation of students, parents and other stakeholders as the ministry works to address the temporary challenges.
“The ministry appreciates the continued cooperation between itself, the students, parents and stakeholders as we continue to navigate these temporary impediments,” he said.
The ministry said efforts were ongoing to ensure that the outstanding payments were processed as soon as possible.
Keep Up to Date with the Most Important News
