Swazi Observer

FULL STORY

TROUBLED MQOLO GETS 74.6 % PASS RATE

By Nokuphila Haji | 2024-12-28

TROUBLED Mqolo Central Primary School achieved a 74.67 per cent pass rate.
The aggregate was better than what other schools attained in this year’s Eswatini Primary Certificate (EPC) examination.

The school produced two first classes, 33 second class passes and 21 third class passes. Out of the 75 pupils who sat for the EPC examination at the school, 19 failed, which translates to 25.35 per cent.

Although the results are good they are low compared to 2023.
Last year, 66 learners sat for the EPC examinations and only 12 failed.

There were nine first-class passes, 25 second class and 20 third class passes. The overall pass rate last year was 81.25 per cent.

The school hogged headlines shortly before the exams started in October as it was forced to close due to lack of water and non-functioning ablution facilities.

This was as a result of the school’s failure to settle its E28 366.95 debt which accumulated over a long period of time.

The debt a excluded E15 000 for penalties that Eswatini Water Services Corporation charged the school for illegally reconnecting the water supply.

After the school was closed, the ministry of education paid the bill, excluding the penalty fee.
This was in time for the Grade VII learners to start their exams.

As if that was not enough, the school was reported to have been found with a bank balance of only E15 in about three weeks after government had disbursed the third term’s free primary education grant. The grant was about E200 000.

Justifying this balance, the school’s Headteacher, Archie Thwala, said the grant was usually paid late by government.

debts
During the period that the money had not been paid, he said, the institution’s debts kept accumulating.

Some of the expenses that the grant was meant to cater for, according to Thwala, included purchasing electricity units, stationery, paying the support staff and paying for water services.

Therefore, when government, which the school relies on for financial support since it does not charge top-up fees, delays in disbursing the FPE grant, Thwala said the debts increase such that when government eventually pays the money, it quickly gets depleted.

With the E200 000 from government, Thwala said, he paid off some of the debts, leaving the school with no money in its coffers.

To resolve the issue, Thwala expressed belief that charging top-up fees would help alleviate the financial challenges.

share story