DECISION ON SCHOOLS REOPENING TOMORROW

MBABANE – The fate regarding the reopening of schools in the country could be known tomorrow.

This is because stakeholders in the education sector will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the reopening of schools. Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education and Training Bhekithemba Gama confirmed the meeting. Gama said indeed the agenda of the meeting would be the reopening of schools. Worth noting is that the meeting was supposed to be held today but it was subsequently postponed and the reasons for that could not be established. “Yes, we are meeting tomorrow with our social partners and the main issue to be deliberated upon will be the reopening of schools,” said the PS.

Stakeholders

Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General (SG) Sikelela Dlamini also confirmed that they would be meeting with the ministry and all other relevant stakeholders in the education sector. Dlamini said an update would then be provided thereafter. Welcome Mhlanga, President of the Eswatini Principal Association (EPA) confirmed that as an association they had received an invite to the meeting with the Ministry of Education and Training.  Mhlanga said at the moment, there was nothing much to say as they were just invitees to the meeting. He also confirmed that the main agenda would be reopening of schools.

The schools were closed indefinitely following the escalation of protest actions in most schools around the country. Pupils had been boycotting classes, raising various demands which included the release of the incarcerated Members of Parliament (MP) in Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube. Other than the protest actions by the pupils, a lot of schools were set alight by unknown arsonists. Some of those schools were set alight even before the protests by the pupils started.

Some of the schools that were burnt include KaBoyce High School, Mqolo Primary School, Enhlanganisweni High School, Velebantfu High School to name a few. It was for that reason Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini ordered schools to be closed on October 16, 2021. When announcing the closure of schools, Dlamini said the decision was taken with the view of ensuring children’s safety and their right to protection. When government announced the closure of schools, it was mentioned that those who were writing external examinations would continue under protection. However, in some schools the exams were interrupted. For instance, during the unrest last week Wednesday, pupils at KaBoyce High School had to abandon their examinations as the school was set alight during the day.  

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