Swazi Observer

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PAC WANTS COPS, ARMY TO PROTECT SCHOOLS

By Sifiso Dlamini | 2021-09-21

Lobamba - PUBLIC Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson Musa Kunene has encouraged the ministry of education and training to engage the services of security forces to guard schools amid the ongoing protests and burning of schools.

The committee members expressed their concerns regarding the ongoing burning of schools and fear that opportunists may be using gullible pupils and the ongoing protests to pursue their agendas. Kunene further mentioned that teachers who would be found guilty of inciting the unrest should be dealt with accordingly by the Teaching Services Commission (TSC).

protests

This was during yesterday’s public hearings as the committee resumed the schools audit exercise. Kunene said this after Dvokodvweni MP Mduduzi Magagula enquired if the ongoing protests by learners were a result of the delayed disbursement of funds such as the OVC and free primary education grants.

He urged the ministry to consider speeding up the distribution of the grants to try and curb the ongoing protests.

Kunene urged the ministry to intensify their efforts in an attempt to manage the situation. He said the ongoing protests pose a danger to the country’s education system. He also raised a concern that opportunists might be taking advantage of the situation and using pupils to pursue their own agendas.

“The ministry should engage the services of the security forces to guard the schools to ensure that learning continues since the pupils are already behind on their lessons,” he said. Principal Secretary Bertram Stewart said the delay in the distribution of grants was not the cause of the ongoing protests. He disclosed that the distribution of the grants was already underway and the delays were caused by submission of incorrect information by school principals.

With regards to the ongoing protests and burning of schools, Stewart said investigations have revealed that the delay in grant distribution was not the cause of the protests. He said this was a concern as some of the reasons behind the protests were not clear.

“The issues raised are neither here nor there as the pupils just find whatever reason to engage in protests. In some instances, learners have resorted to engage in protest actions because another pupil who was accused of participating in the burning of a school was arrested,” he said.

inciting

He further mentioned that it was also disturbing that some teachers were allegedly behind the ongoing protests and responsible for inciting the pupils to protest. He also mentioned that the control of pupils was also the responsibility of parents and urged them to play their part.

Kunene also urged the TSC to deal with teachers who would be found guilty of inciting violence and protests in schools. “It is disappointing that some teachers are allegedly behind the unrest and the TSC should deal with them accordingly if found guilty,” he said.

He also urged the regional education officers to engage both leaners and educators as well as parents so that they could understand the importance of learning and protecting the country’s learning institutions.

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