Promoting basic education for women and girls ... - library.unesco-ii...

The context
he situation of women and girls in education in the
T
Kingdom of Swaziland can best be understood in the
wider national context revolving around specific socio-his-
torical and demographic factors.
Over the years, women in Swazi society have
become accustomed to being heads of households, a
as a
result of the migration of the men folk to the mines of
South Africa. They have, in the process, sought to acquire the basic skills needed for their changing roles. They have also in the process tried to pass on the same skills to the
girl-child, as preparation for their own adult roles.
w
Therefore, there has traditionally been a practice of
driving girls hard in the course of their upbringing. This
practice seems to have impacted on the ways in which par- ents have pursued the formal education of the girl-child.
A major political action taken over the years was the attainment of Universal Primary Education as far back
Swaziland
d
Swaziland:
apparent gender
n
balance napparent
27S