BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – In an effort to make its students job creators, the Eswatini College of Technology (ECOT) has partnered with industry organisations.
According to ECOT Acting Principal Henry Khumalo, ECOT has formalised its partnership with the Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund (YERF). Khumalo said they were now in advanced talks with organisations such as Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP), Small Enterprise Development Company (SEDCO), Stefanutti Stocks, Microprojects, and Eswatini Industrial Development Corporation (EIDC). Additionally, ECOT has also secured internship opportunities for their students at companies such as Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation (RESCorp) and Illovo.
Khumalo said this when making his remarks today (Friday, October 25, 2024) during the ECOT graduating ceremony, which took place at Mbabane Alliance Church. Khumalo said the collaborations were made to re-shape the curriculum of ECOT by introducing entrepreneurship to the students. The entrepreneurship would foster a mindset of innovation and self-reliance. Khumalo expressed gratitude to companies that opened its doors for their students.
The acting principal also highlighted that their vision included establishing an incubation centre. It would serve as a space that would enable ECOT students to transform their innovative ideas to become viable business ventures. Khumalo expressed gratitude to the Taiwan Technical Mission, which has provided massive support to ECOT over the years. He said by December 2024, they would be receiving equipment for the Mechanical Engineering Department at ECOT. He said over the years, the Taiwan Technical Mission has been giving them state-of-the-art equipment.
Khumalo thanked the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Public Service, and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for supporting the institution. He said ECOT had been able to receive full-time and part-time lecturers. This has helped the institution to advance towards its vision of being at the forefront of technological change.
He said one of the ECOT lecturers (ICT Lecturer) had been sent by the Ministry of Education and Training to pursue a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. However, Khumalo said they were challenged by the retention of these lecturers, as they could not be able to keep them when better opportunities availed themselves to them.
