Times Of Swaziland: SUSPEND CLASSES UNTIL SITUATION  IS CALM - KAMKHWELI PARENTS

SUSPEND CLASSES UNTIL SITUATION  IS CALM - KAMKHWELI PARENTS
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BY THOKOZANI MAMBA on 11/10/2021 09:00:00


SITEKI – Parents of pupils at KaMkhweli Primary and High schools indefinitely
closed both schools last Friday.
Since last week, pupils from both schools have been home due to the pupils’
rioting, demanding the release of incarcerated Members of Parliament (MPs) in
Hosea’s Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Ngwempisi’s Mthandeni Dube. This week,
parents told both schools’ head teachers and school committee members that
they should suspend classes until the situation was calm, to protect their
children from harm.
Minister of Education and Training Lady Mabuza announced the return of all
classes, on a full-time basis, in all schools countrywide today. Last Friday,
parents of pupils at KaMkhweli Primary and high jointly held a meeting where
they resolved that classes be suspended until the ministry attended to the
pupils’ grievances. They also voiced out their fear in that the safety of
their children and that of teachers was at risk hence the resolution to suspend
classes for the whole of this week.
Protests
The parents also noted that the ongoing protests by the children had been
hijacked by people who were calling for political reforms. “We told the head
teachers and the school committees that our children should not resume classes
on Monday until the ministry addresses the pupils’ grievances. We were
informed that when violence broke out while our children are in classes, stones
are pelted at the windows and that poses a danger to the educators and the
children,” said one of the parents.
A teacher at KaMkhweli Primary confirmed the suspension of classes for the whole
of this week. “We received SMSes informing us that parents resolved that
classes should not resume on Monday (today) until the ministry addresses the
pupils’ grievances. We will not be reopening this week as per the messages we
received as teachers in both primary and high schools,” said the teacher, who
confirmed in condition of anonymity. Sakhile Dlamini, KaMkhweli Primary School
Head teacher did not answer her mobile phone after several attempts were made.
She also did not respond to a WhatsApp text, however, it blue-ticked, signalling
that it had been read.
Warn
Meanwhile, St Philips High Head teacher Hlobisile Thwala said parents were to
have talks with their children to warn them against involving themselves in
protests. Thwala said she was not sure if lessons would resume today, following
the volatile situation experienced by her teachers and pupils, resulting in
classes being suspended indefinitely. The head teacher stated that the parents
who attended the meeting on Saturday were of those of pupils who were not
involved in the protests.
She said she would monitor the situation this morning and if it was calm,
classes would resume. “It is a gamble because lives of teachers and the
learners are at risk. Even the parents who attended are those whose children
behave and the figures were not convincing. This summarises that the pupils are
not willing to continue with lessons,” she said. Thwala mentioned that the
meeting attendance was not satisfactory, but luckily the parents formed the
required quorum.
She said she presented a report to the parents but overall, they (parents) felt
the ongoing protests were influenced by current political unrest in the country.
“Parents resolved that they would talk to their children. We will monitor the
situation but if it persists, we have no choice but to suspend classes,” she
said.
At Bekezela High, Head teacher Abner Ndwandwe said he was not sure if lessons
would resume this morning. “I haven’t decided anything about the resumption
of lessons, but we will monitor the situation. I will see what happens tomorrow
(today), otherwise, I cannot pre-empt what will happen. If pupils return to
class, we will continue with lessons,” he said.
Marco Dlamini, Head teacher at Ndzevane High, said he was not sure if lessons
would resume this morning. “We had a meeting with parents, but they are also
in the dark in coming up with a solution to this predicament. We (head teachers)
have been called to a meeting on Tuesday (tomorrow) at the REO offices and hope
a way forward will be mapped,” he said.
Monitor
Lubombo Regional Education Officer (REO) Richard Dlamini said they would monitor
the situation, but appealed to head teachers to also do same and allow pupils
who had come to school into class if it was safe. The REO stated he would be
meeting head teachers from high schools tomorrow where a way forward would be
mapped. “We are aware of what is taking place in the different schools that
have been marred by protests, but we will make sure that we find a lasting
solution,” he said.
In the Lubombo Region, some of the schools marred by protests for the past two
weeks were Ndzevane Primary and High, Big Bend High, Nkhanini High, KaMkhweli
Primary and High, Bekezela High, St. Philips Primary and High, Mahlabaneni
Primary and Siphofaneni High. The rest were Mnotfweni Primary and High, Maloyi
High, Mphundle High and Tikhuba High.