82 SCHOOLS CLOSED COUNTRYWIDE AS PUPILS PROTEST

SITEKI – At least 82 schools were yesterday indefinitely closed after pupils protested, causing chaos.

In the Lubombo Region, 43 schools were closed after police officers were called to maintain order. The majority of the schools’ administration said they would not be risking their lives and resuming lessons this week until the Ministry of Education and Training intervened and came up with a mitigation plan to curb this volatile situation.

Marco Dlamini, Ndzevane High Head teacher, said he suspended classes due to the volatile situation. “I had to suspend classes after Lubuli High teachers called and informed me that Ikhwezi Primary and High school pupils were coming to mobilise my pupils to protest as well. I had to let the pupils go home for safety reasons,” he said. At St Philip’s High School, the pupils were said to have vandalised taps at hand-washing stations and further pelted stones at classrooms.

Alight

The pupils are said to have set alight school property, mainly desks. They further went on to burn tyres and placed logs and stones on the Siphofaneni-Big Bend Public Road. The school’s Head teacher, Hlobisile Thwala, said they had to close the school after the pupils started to protest. Thwala said the pupils further went on to burn the school’s furniture like desks and broke notice boards in classrooms. The head teacher said pupils from Manyovu Primary and High jointly mobilised her pupils together with those from Sibetsaphi Primary and High, whereby they burnt tyres and blocked the main road.

She said she reported the matter to the Lubombo Regional Education Officer (REO), Richard Dlamini, and police officers swiftly came and dispersed the pupils. Thwala said she had to lock herself in her office after the pupils charged at her and accused her of confiscating their mobile phones. “As a standard procedure, pupils are aware that during lessons, mobile phones are not allowed and they are taken if one is found with it. However, they are now blaming me, stating that I was the one who confiscated their mobile phones. I had to lock myself in my office for safety,” she said. Thwala said the situation had become volatile, with alleged influence from outside people who joined the protests.

The head teacher said she would be joining other head teachers today at the office of the REO to map a way forward. “It has become evident that the pupils come to school to harass and vandalise property,” she remarked. A pupil at St Philip’s High said his schoolmates were joined by those from Manyovu Primary and High and sang struggle songs while calling for the release of the incarcerated Members of Parliament (MPs) in Hosea’s Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Ngwempisi’s Mthandeni Dube.

Guardrails

The pupil said they then burnt tyres and logs on the road and some destroyed guardrails. “Stones were placed on the road and police came and fired tear gas canisters. We did not stop, but continued to do same at Logoba area. We want freedom and we want democracy,” said the pupil. At Mambane High, a pupil, who asked to comment on condition of anonymity, said they wanted the school’s administration to report teachers who allegedly had sexual relationships with female pupils to the ministry.

The pupil said they also wanted a change in their menu, claiming that the food was tasteless. At this school, the pupils broke a locked school gate and further went on to place stones on the road leading to Tikhuba area. “We are tired of teachers who are having sexual relationships with our female schoolmates. They are also not punished for that. We had to run for cover after police started firing tear gas canisters,” said the pupil. Nkhanini High Head teacher Khumbulani Ndwandwe said his school did not reopen yesterday.

A senior officer at the REO’s office said he received countless calls from teachers yesterday. He said he advised some of the teachers to close the schools for safety of the learners who were not rioting and the safety of the educators. The senior officer said the situation was out of control as lives were now in danger. “As I was driving, I found pupils from Duze Primary and High blocking the road and police intervention saved motorists. This is a serious situation. I told them to close the schools and wait for a directive from the office of the REO,” he said.

Lessons

When asked if it was possible that this week lessons would resume, the senior officer reluctantly said it would depend on the ministry’s decision, but it was imperative that a number of factors be considered. Lubombo REO, Dlamini, indicated that he would be meeting head teachers from high schools today to map a way forward regarding the ongoing protests at schools.

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