PUPILS RIOT, WANT PREGNANT COLLEAGUE RECALLED

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.

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