NO PROVISION FOR PUPILS’ STUDY BREAK - EDUCATION MINISTRY

MANZINI – The Ministry of Education and Training has no written provision where pupils are allowed to go on study breaks before the start of their examinations.

This was a statement by Manzini Deputy Regional Education Officer Nhlanhla Dlamini. This was in response to a question whether it was lawful for head teachers of public schools to allow learners some time away from school just before their examinations.
This subject was the sole reason that resulted in a near chaos at Salesian High School on Monday.  The uproar started when teachers discovered that almost all Form III pupils were not at school on the head teacher’s instruction that they should remain at home for two weeks, in preparation for their examinations that will commence on October 17, 2017.

The educators were agitated by the fact that not only had the Head teacher; Petros Horton, failed to communicate this to them prior, but he also went against the teachers’ agreement that study breaks should be abolished. Some of the teachers informed this publication that the reason for their objection of study breaks, especially for Forms III and V pupils, was that the learners previously confessed that study breaks did not work for them, in that they could not focus on studying while at home.
Another reason that the teachers were against study breaks was that they had experiences in the past where pupils missed some papers or came in to write while drunk.
In his defence, Horton said he only stated that the school would not allow learners to go on study breaks until the commencement of external examinations, which commenced on Monday. The first group to sit for their assessment were Form V pupils.

When the Regional Education’s Office was sought for comment, the Deputy REO Nhlanhla Dlamini said he was not aware of any provision in any policy from the Ministry of Education where study breaks were permitted.
Dlamini said in as far as he knew, all learners, regardless of whether they are writing examinations or not, should be at school from morning when school starts until the afternoon when school should be officially out. According to Dlamini, this was to ensure that children are safe and not seen anywhere else but at school where parents would know they are in good hands.
However, he did not say whether what Horton did was wrong or right.

Emphasizing the same statement was the Ministry of Education and Training’s Schools Director Sibongile Mtshali Dlamini.
“We have nothing that is written which provides for learners to go on study breaks or not,” she said.
Regarding the litany of issues raised by teachers during their engagement by the REO’s officials on Monday and yesterday, regarding the cause of tension at the school, the Deputy REO said the educators were required to draft all their grievances which would be analysed by the office before being submitted to the director of education.
“The REO needs to ensure that if there are any disagreements arising between school employees and their authorities, they should be solved fairly and an amicable agreement be reached for a healthy working environment for all parties concerned,” he said.  

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