Times Of Swaziland: SOME PUPILS EXECUTE GROUNDSMAN DUTIES

SOME PUPILS EXECUTE GROUNDSMAN DUTIES
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BY PHIWASE PHUNGWAYO on 17/07/2019 04:16:00


MBABANE – The delay in the release of free primary education (FPE) grants has
seen some pupils executing groundsman duties.
Pupils of Vulamehlo High School have taken the role of both learner and manual
worker as a means to curb the lack of school staff in their school.
This was stated by the school’s Deputy, Cynthia Dlamini, during an interview
yesterday.
The deputy was questioned about the implications of the delay of grants in the
school.
Worth noting is that currently, mock examinations are ongoing at schools.
These are mid-term assessments which take place before final exams.
“We have not received FPE grants yet and this has resulted in our groundsman
leaving the school as we have failed to pay him. In the meantime, pupils perform
the duties of the groundsman,” said the deputy head teacher.
Delay
She went on to state that the delay of FPE payment had left them with no choice
but to find other means of dealing with the situation as it stood. The deputy
mentioned that the groundsman used to pick up papers, cut grass and clear the
school premises.
Dlamini highlighted that other duties which the grounds man carried out involved
fixing broken furniture such as chairs, desks and windows.
The deputy mentioned that in the case of the pupils, they picked up papers,
cleared the yard by cutting grass and swept the school yard.
She stated that the pupils would alternate the duties, beginning with Form Is to
Form Vs who were assigned to the duties starting from Monday. When questioned
about meals, the deputy conceded that they were currently not serving meals to
the pupils as the school did not have funds to pay school staff.
Swaziland Principals Association President Welcome Mhlanga did not stipulate the
specific figures of the schools which have not received grants, as he stated
that he did not have a prepared list.  However, he mentioned that he was
receiving calls from head teachers informing him that they still had not
received grants.
“Not all schools have been issued FPE grants. There have been some who are
calling and stating that they have not yet received their grants,” Mhlanga
said.