According to ASTI Focal Point Patricia Carmichael with the Agriculture Research Division at Malkerns Research Station, the government of Swaziland has not typically been keen to train researchers to PhD level. If a researcher wanted to further train towards PHD, she or he was told that PhD level was not government’s priority, and if the researcher wants to go for further training was either given an option to resign or take leave without pay.
Recently, however, through the data that compares all African states on their level of research and development, it came out clear that Swaziland has the lowest level of education for researchers, both at university level and within government research institutes. After the 2014 data was presented to cabinet, there was a great positive response from most of the policy makers that training of officers at the research department should be considered priority. And as a result of that two researchers at the department were easily offered permission to train towards PhD. "We hope to have these researchers back to the department by 2018," said Patricia.