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By BONGIWE DLAMINI | 2024-11-27
LUNGELO Nhlengetfwa, Schools Manager from the Ministry of Education and Training, has expressed concern at the monthly service fees charged by the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) to schools around the country.
Speaking during the electricity tariff review consultation for businesses and government ministries at Ezulwini yesterday, Nhlengetfwa said the proposed tariff increase would be unsustainable for schools.
He warned that it could exacerbate the financial strain on schools and increase the overall cost of education.
EEC’s current tariff review proposal, which seeks a 25.51 per cent average tariff increase for 2025/26 and 27.06 per cent for 2026/27, has met significant resistance from all the stakeholders.
Nhlengetfwa highlighted the challenges faced by primary schools, whose sole funding source is the Free Primary Education (FPE) grant provided by the government. He lamented that EEC classified schools under the business tariff category, which attracts monthly service charges.
“If a school head does not necessarily fill up the prepaid meter monthly, the service charges pile up, thus creating an unsustainable financial burden,” he stated. Nhlengetfwa urged EEC to collaborate with government, the utility’s primary stakeholder, to mitigate the electricity costs for schools.
Citing examples, he noted instances where headteachers spent as much as E1 000 on electricity, but received minimal usable units due to the high monthly fixed charges.
“The proposed tariff increase will have dire consequences. Parents may lose jobs as businesses struggle to absorb the rising costs, which will inevitably impact children’s ability to continue their education,” Nhlengetfwa warned.
“This situation risks creating a ripple effect that could even threaten EEC’s viability when consumers no longer afford electricity, leading to reduced revenue for the company,” he added.
Nhlengetfwa further pointed out that public high schools relied on government subsidies for orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) and already operated on tight budgets.
“Any increase in electricity costs would force schools to raise fees for the few learners whose parents can afford to pay, further worsening the financial strain.
“This is an unsustainable scenario, and we strongly urge EEC to reconsider its proposed increases,” he added.
Meanwhile, headteachers attending the consultation session held in Siteki recently argued that schools, as non-profit entities, should not be subject to the same service charges as businesses.
They noted that primary schools depended heavily on FPE grants often released late by government, leaving the schools without electricity and in unsafe conditions. Somntwana Mtetwa, a teacher at Enjabulweni Primary School in the Lubombo region, shared how delayed FPE grants have left many schools in the dark.
“This has compromised safety as security personnel often declined working under unsafe conditions,” Mtetwa explained.
She also noted that when the FPE grant was eventually received, the bulk of it was consumed by backlogged monthly service charges before electricity can be accessed.
schools are subject to a monthly service charge of E264 by EEC.
The consultations revealed a collective call for EEC and the government to address these pressing concerns to ensure that schools continue to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for all learners.
EEC Managing Director Ernest Mkhonta explained that the monthly fixed charge proposed review was aligned with projected inflation rates for the next two years. EEC General Manager
Operations Vusi Gama clarified that the fixed charge was essential to cover maintenance and operating costs for the transmission and distribution infrastructure, repeatedly underscoring its role in ensuring reliable service delivery.
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