Times Of Swaziland: PUPILS RIOT, WANT PREGNANT COLLEAGUE RECALLED

PUPILS RIOT, WANT PREGNANT COLLEAGUE RECALLED
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BY THOKOZANI MAMBA on 19/08/2021 08:32:00


SITEKI – Over 50 Good Shepherd High School pupils engaged in a protest calling
the school’s Head teacher, Senele Ngwenya, to bring back an allegedly expelled
pregnant colleague.
The incident took place on Tuesday. The pupils were found at the school’s
premises chanting political songs while others were shouting that they would not
go back to class until the head teacher addressed their grievances. Initially,
the protest started on Monday when the pupils resolved to boycott classes. The
pupils comprised those in Form III and Form V. It was established that the
school also had two teachers and six pupils who tested positive for COVID-19
last week. Last Friday, lessons were suspended to allow for a fumigation process
of the whole school. The pupils complained that the temperature scan was faulty
and that there were no sanitisers in each of the classes they used for their
learning.
They claimed that there was no water for handwashing as per the required
procedure and that the school’s administration had failed to address the issue
of pit latrines as they were forced  to use pit toilets which were dirty and a 
health hazard. The pupils also claimed that the water they were drinking from
the borehole had stained their teeth and that there was not enough food.
Speaking on behalf of the his colleagues, one of the pupils said they wanted the
head teacher to to recall the pregnant pupil as her future was important like
that of the rest of them. The pupil alleged that they were paying exorbitant
school fees amounting to E7 000 but were not provided with uniforms. “We have
a garden here at school but we are not benefitting from it because we are not
given the fruits we are made to nurture for the duration of the year. We need
hand sanitisers and that the temperature scan be replaced as it is faulty. We
also want all pupils and teachers to be tested for COVID-19 as there were cases
recorded among us and educators. We don’t have clean water yet water is an
essential commodity during the COVID-19 era,” claimed the pupil.
Asked about the pupils’ grievances, Ngwenya said she was yet to meet their
representatives and find a lasting solution to their complaints. She confirmed
that two teachers and six pupils were currently in isolation after testing
positive for COVID-19 last week. “I have gathered that they have complained of
water being cold to wash their hands and that the food provided is tasteless. We
fumigated the school last Friday and we now constantly do that in all the
classes. I will be meeting them so that we resolve our differences. I cannot
elaborate much as I am yet to be briefed by them in our meeting,” the head
teacher said. A mother to the allegedly expelled pupil confirmed her
daughter’s pregnancy, however, she refuted that she had been expelled. The
parent said her daughter was advised by the school’s administration to go home
to deliver her child and return to class as her due date was next month.
Governed
“The school is governed by the Roman Catholic Church principles and a pregnant
pupil is not allowed to join others. However, my daughter was told that she must
go and deliver her child and she will be allowed back to class. The delivery
date is September 16. She will stay for two days and then join the rest of the
pupils,” she said. She indicated that the pupils might have thought that her
daughter was expelled from the school yet it was not the case. Lubombo Regional
Education Officer (REO) Richard Dlamini said she would be meeting the school’s
administration on the matter. Dlamini revealed that the school’s head teacher
had not yet reported the matter to him. The REO said it was an unfortunate
situation that disturbed the progress of lessons.  “I am surprised because the
pupils started to protest on Monday but nothing was reported to my office. The
pupils need to be advised that this is their future and they have one chance in
life hence it is imperative that they go back to class while we address the
issues at hand,” he said. It should be noted that the Swaziland National
Association of Teachers (SNAT) has petitioned the Ministry of Education and
Training, calling for the immediate closing of schools countrywide. The
organisation has given government until close of business today to respond to
their petition.