Status of NAHEC Changed to Southern Africa Nazarene University, Swaziland

Rev Mark Louw, Africa Regional Education Coordinator

The International Board of Education (IBOE) has approved the request of the Nazarene Higher Education Consortium (NAHEC) Board of Trustees and the Africa Regional Director for the Church of the Nazarene to change the status from the existing three institutions comprising NAHEC to one entity, namely Southern Africa Nazarene University, Swaziland. The three institutions are:

     Nazarene College of Education, Swaziland (1936)

     Nazarene College of Nursing, Swaziland (1928), and

     Nazarene College of Theology, Swaziland (1912)

Dr LeBron Fairbanks, Education Commissioner, in his announcement of this change in status, wrote, “The International Board of Education congratulates Dr Winnie Nhlengethwa, rector of the Nazarene Higher Education Consortium, for her tireless work in guiding the three colleges to this point of becoming a Nazarene university in Swaziland.

Dr Filimao Chambo, Africa Regional Director, made this statement: “Swaziland holds an historical place in the work and development of the Church of the Nazarene in Africa. Beginning in 1910, Swaziland became a place where hundreds of church leaders on the continent of Africa were trained and mentored for evangelistic thrust of the denomination. This year the Church in Swaziland celebrates their centennial and the establishment of such an institution which will give continuity to the commitment to develop leaders is fitting. I congratulate the church in Swaziland for this milestone achievement."

The NAHEC was launched in October 2007 with Dr Winnie Nhlengethwa, Principal of the Nazarene College of Nursing, as the first Rector. The Church of the Nazarene in Swaziland has explored the possibility of establishing a Nazarene university in Swaziland since 2004. The IBOE recommended that the first step would be the establishment of NAHEC. The merger allowed the colleges to blend together smoothly in preparation for the development of the university. These three colleges pioneered tertiary education in Swaziland in the fields of theology, health, and education, and have contributed immensely to the development resource of the country with graduates holding senior positions in the government, parliament, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.

<Back to Out of Africa 19 July 2010