Times Of Swaziland: EXAM MARKERS WORKING DAY AND NIGHT

EXAM MARKERS WORKING DAY AND NIGHT
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Sibusiso Zwane on 23/03/2022 08:35:00


MANZINI - Some teachers, especially those who are marking external examination
scripts, are reportedly working day and night.
This, according to some stakeholders in the education sector, could compromise
the overall results in schools. A source close to the matter said some of the
external examination script markers had not finished marking the internal
examination scripts. As such, the source said some of them went to the marking
centres during the day and marked the internal examination scripts at their
places of residence at night. Sikelela Dlamini, the Secretary General of the
Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), said this was happening
because of the pressure to meet deadlines, since according to the 2022 school
calendar, schools would close only for a week, from March 25, 2022 and open on
April 5, 2022.
Reports
He said this meant that teachers should mark internal examinations scripts and
prepare reports before the schools close on March 25, 2022 (Friday) for the
third term of 2021 and reopen on April 5, 2022 for the first term of 2022. He
said this meant that they then had to mark and prepare reports for the pupils,
yet on the other hand, there were external examination scripts to be marked as
well. Again, he said the issue of remuneration of teachers, which he referred to
as poor, was another issue why their members had found themselves in a situation
where they worked day and night. “They are after the money,” he claimed. He
said it was a pity that government was still reluctant to address the issue of
salaries, as it was continuously refusing to review their pay.
Civil servants’ salaries were due for a review during the 2021/22 financial
year, which end on March 31, 2022. Moreover, the unionist said this could affect
the overall results because it meant that the teachers would mark the scripts
while tired. He said when a teacher and any person in general worked day and
night, their stress levels went up and level of concentration would go the other
way.
Rest
Meanwhile, the Eswatini Principals Association (EPA) President, Welcome Mhlanga
said even though they had not heard about the issue of teachers who worked day
and night, he said generally, it was important for teachers to get enough rest,
especially when marking. He said this was because they marked a lot of scripts
per day. He said the level of concentration of a teacher who did not get enough
rest would be compromised. He said schools were supposed to make arrangements on
how things would be balanced if some teachers were going to mark external
examination scripts. However, he was quick to mention that no one anticipated
this. He emphasised that in order for the teachers to deliver as expected, they
needed to rest. Thereafter, he asked not to comment further as the Exams
Councils of Eswatini (ECESWA) was in a better position to address the matter.
Meanwhile, a questionnaire was sent to ECESWA Communications Officer Hlengiwe
Ndlovu yesterday at 2:55pm. She acknowledged receipt and asked to be given time
to consult the relevant structures. However, by the time of compiling this
report, she had not responded. In the questionnaire, the communications officer
was asked whether ECESWA was aware of the matter, as there was a concern that it
might negatively affect the results. She was also asked what ECESWA would do to
ensure that results would not be compromised.