Swazi Observer

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DON’T OPEN SCHOOLS, PARENTS BACK SNAT

By SIFISO NHLABATSI | 2024-01-22

Parents have backed the Swaziland National Association of Teachers in calling for schools opening to be delayed.

The Eswatini Schools Committee and Parents Association (ESCAPA) in a press briefing with SNAT yesterday reiterated the teachers call because there were a number of issues that government must first address.

Among the main issues discussed was the call for an Education Indaba where everyone would present his side.

SNAT revealed that it had an axe to grind with the Examinations Council of Eswatini, issues which could be discussed and addressed if an Education Indaba was held.

Other issues include the introduction of Free Primary Education in Grade Zero, hiring of teachers and paying contract teachers have been raised by SNAT before when making their first call to delay the opening of schools.

concerns
Schools are expected to open tomorrow for the first term of the academic year.
Representing parents were the ESCAPA President, Cedric Chirwa and Deputy President, Sisana Mamba while SNAT was represented by its President, Mbongwa Dlamini and Secretary General, Lot Vilakati.

The organisations also revolved that they would today visit the ministry of education and training where they intend tabling their concerns on why schools should not be opened tomorrow. The ESCAPA deputy president said despite reports that government had started disbursing orphaned and vulnerable children funds, when she checked her account nothing reflected as the balance was from the schools coffers since last year.

“Overgrown vegetation is still a constant sight in most schools and many other issues, which shows the poor state of preparedness in schools. It is totally incorrect that government has disbursed OVC funds to schools,” Mamba said.

She said children should not go to school hungry.
The deputy president said children had performed poorly and teachers were blamed yet they could not work. “I do not see teachers achieving quality education while schools are still faced with the challenges they are facing now,” Mamba stated. She said by the look of things government was not ready to open schools.

“We need enough teachers in schools not robots,” she further stated. This was in response to government wanting to introduce artificial intelligence onto the education system. The robot will deliver educational content, provide personalised instruction, and facilitate learning experiences.
lamented

The ESCAPA president decried that stakeholders should have been consulted on this.
Parents further lamented the four-year high school programme saying it was not properly introduced.

The ministry of education has introduced the programme in 32 schools as a pilot project.
The project aims to establish if learners could successfully complete the Eswatini General Certificate of Secondary Education in four years instead of five.

Chirwa went on to state that before the programme was implemented there was a need to engage in thorough discussions with the relevant stakeholders.

“It does not help for you to just come and implement or shove a project down our throats yet claim we are on board in these issues,” he stated.
Another issue they argued was not properly handled was that of learners who cheated in their examinations.

They said government should have consulted all the relevant stakeholders upon noting the problem and sought for a way forward.

“We need our contributions to be there before everything is implemented,” Chirwa said. He said they also noted that this year’s exam fees had shot up, which he described as shocking when at the same time government was introducing the four-year programme.

Teachers also reiterated their position that the teaching environment they were expected to work in was not conducive.

issues
With the support of the parents association, SNAT once again raised issues they want government to urgently address before opening schools.

Among the issues was that the schools damaged by the recent storms had not been renovated and also the hiring of teachers. Today, the teachers said they would collect data on the delivery of stationery, hiring of teachers and clearing of school grounds, among other issues.

As a result these pending issues, they also resolved to visit the ministry of education and training today over their concerns and why the opening of schools should be delayed.

“As long as there are no posting letters, we can safely say that we are not ready. As long as 4 000 teachers have not been hired, we can safely say we are not ready,” said Vilakati.

The SNAT president claimed that the ministry of education was milking teachers dry by allegedly demanding bribes for those who want their contracts renewed. Dlamini said there was a lot of wrong happening in the hiring and promotion of teachers.

This he said was among the reasons why they now want to be part of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) so that there could be transparency in the hiring processes.

Minister of Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo when asked about the issue of SNAT threatening to stop the opening of schools last week promised to delegate one of his officials to respond, however, there was no response. the minister was called and texted together with his Principal Secretary, Bheki Gama but by close of business there was still no response.
Eswatini Principals Association (EPA) President, Welcome Mhlanga declined to comment.

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