Times Of Swaziland: WOE UNTO TEACHERS WHO FIELDED  BOGUS ATHLETES

WOE UNTO TEACHERS WHO FIELDED  BOGUS ATHLETES
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Machawe Fakudze on 11/04/2025 08:21:00


MBABANE – Head teachers and sports teachers implicated in fielding ineligible
players during school sports competitions face severe disciplinary action.
This is as per a stern warning from the Ministry of Education and Training.
Under Secretary (US) at the Ministry, Lungelo Nhlengetfwa, confirmed that
decisive steps would be taken against staff found to be abusing school funds and
engaging in unsporting behaviour. His comments followed worrying allegations
concerning schools within the Lubombo Region.
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This publication received reports from concerned pupils suggesting that at least
three schools are fielding individuals who are not registered pupils in the
ongoing athletics and ball games organised under the banner of the Eswatini
Schools Sports Association (ESSA).  Nhlengetfwa stated he would initiate a full
investigation into the claims. He stressed that any headteachers and sports
teachers proven to be involved in this practice would face disciplinary
proceedings. “We will discipline them severely as they are abusing school
funds for people who are not intended to benefit from them,” Nhlengetfwa
asserted.
He elaborated that such actions constitute a misuse of school finances, likening
it to hiring external players using money contributed by the parents of genuine
pupils. “It’s like they have hired these non-pupils for the games and are
paying them using the deserving pupils’ parents’ hard-earned money,” he
added. However, the US indicated that suspending the implicated schools entirely
from the competitions was unlikely to be the preferred sanction.
Opportunity
He reasoned that such a move would unfairly deprive legitimate learners of the
opportunity to participate in sports. Instead, the focus of disciplinary
measures would be squarely on the offending teaching staff. This stance
contrasts slightly with previous indications from ESSA President Zakhele Myeni,
who reportedly suggested that schools found guilty of fielding ineligible
players, known as ‘defaulters’, could face suspensions lasting up to five
years.
The ministry’s Acting Inspector for Sports, Arts and Culture, Thandi Nkambule,
also condemned such actions by the concerned schools. She stated that sports are
not meant for out-of-school learners, emphasising that they had their chance
while they were still at school. “Schools must give way to those who are still
within the school system. “We strongly condemn such behaviour,” she said.