Times Of Swaziland: SCHOOLS ARE FOR COMMUNITY

SCHOOLS ARE FOR COMMUNITY
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Editor on 29/09/2024 14:25:00


Madam,
Just like newly-established companies, schools should prioritise pupils from the
community on which they are located. What pains my heart is that some of our
forefathers within these communities participated in building some of the
schools without getting paid, with the hope of education for their children and
grandchildren.
They build schools with the hope that this will bring change and development to
the community. Unfortunately this does not really happen. Instead the children
from the same community on which  some schools are located are denied spaces
just because they are attained Third Pass Class passes or they are living with
disabilities. The children of the very same people who built the school can no
longer enjoy the fruits of their labour when schools accept only Merits and
First Class pupils without considering the community from which the child comes
from.
Performance
This gives the rest of the pupils no choice, but to seek spaces in
non-discriminatory rural schools, which are notorious for poor performance. Is a
community school not supposed to be developing the people of the community? Why
are the schools reluctant to teach students who know and not the ones who need
to be taught? My point is, every student should be accepted in the local school.
If the school is now too small for the community students, parents should go
back to build more classes.
All students should be accepted at a local school. Even if they attained Third
Class passes. Is a Third Class not a pass? If not, then why does the Examination
Council of Eswatini consider that as a pass? The duty of schools is to teach
without discrimination. Africans have suffered enough in the hand of the
oppressors. We cannot do the same this among ourselves.
We cannot be having children from Siteki, commuting to Purity High School or
Malindza High School when there is Siteki Nazarene, Lubombo Central and Good
Shepherd High School around Siteki just because they attained Third Class passes
in Geade VI. Commuting is costly, in addition to school fees, pocket money and
lunchboxes; not to mention that using the road on a daily basis is hazardous.
Road accidents happens every day and it is a very sad thing for a parent to bury
a child. Please help us avoid such incidents.
Chawe