PUPILS SUSPECTED IN MBOKOJWENI HIGH ARSON

SITEKI – Suspicions are high that it was actually pupils who torched the Mbokojweni High School staffroom so that internal classes pupils would not sit for their exams.

With the internal examinations in progress in most schools, it is believed that pupils were behind the setting alight of the staffroom that had examination papers with the intention to stop exams from taking place. It is believed that the pupils felt ill-prepared for the exams and feared that they would fail. Currently, Form I, II and IV pupils are sitting for their internal exams that started last week.

According to the Head teacher, Thulasizwe Dlamini, suspicions were rife that the intention behind the arson attack on Sunday night, which also resulted in the torching of books for Siswati, Economics and Accounts at around 9pm had been necessitated by the fact that some of the pupils were not ready and ill-prepared to write their exams.

Damage

The incident has left damage amounting to over E80 000. Worth mentioning is that there were disturbances that occurred last year due to the escapades of arson attacks at different schools around the country resulting in lessons being suspended by the Ministry of Education and Training. This, coupled with COVID-19, made it impossible for pupils to enjoy normal learning and there had been fears from many teachers that the pupils would perform poorly as they only had classes for three months last year in total.

The head teacher said she was informed by the security guard that there were four young men who stormed the school premises on the night of the incident. Dlamini said the arsonists threatened to assault the security guard after he flashed his torch towards their direction. The security guard is said to have fled. The young men are believed to have proceeded to set on fire books and some of the desks, possibly thinking that the fire would spread and burn everything inside, including the exam papers. She said the security guard informed her that he  called the police who promptly came to the scene together with personnel from the Eswatini National Fire and Emergency Services.

“They managed to contain the fire before a lot of damage was done, hence the walls were not extensively damaged but only three desks and some books were burnt,” she said. None of the exam papers were burnt as the fire did not spread much. She said exams continued without disturbances yesterday. The head teacher said she was informed that a matchbox, supposedly used in the commissioning of the crime and a cigarette were found inside the staffroom when police conducted their investigation. Acting Lubombo Regional Education Officer (REO) Richard Dlamini echoed the head teacher’s suspicions, mentioning that they had a strong belief that pupils were involved in the incident due to the fact that those behind the arson attacks targeted the internal examination papers. The acting REO said the examination papers were spared and the damage was minimal as only a few desks and books were burnt.

Dlamini added that the building was also spared from the fire. “Looking at the target of the arsonists, it points to the internal papers,” he said. The acting REO further condemned the arson attack, stating that it was a burden to parents because they were behind the building of schools in communities. Dlamini further said the continuing spate of arson attacks was delaying parents and government’s efforts in ensuring that pupils acquired the best education. The acting REO said such could have been prompted by the fact that some pupils were not ready for the exams due to the recent spate of riots and the emergence of COVID-19 in the country, which resulted in lessons being suspended.

“However, the head teacher informed me that everything was normal today and the internal exams went well,” added the acting REO. Ministry of Education and Training Principal Secretary (PS) Bhekithemba Gama condemned the incident and advised parents to warn their children not to resort to such uncalled for acts as it was detrimental to their future.
The PS further stated that the ministry was working on ensuring that such arson elements were stopped in schools in the upcoming calendar year.

Unfortunate

Gama said it was unfortunate that there were still pupils whose mindset was solely set on disturbing the smooth progress of the internal exams and were not focusing on their future goals.
“They must study and consult with their educators if they are not clear about what they learnt before sitting for their exams. They will write what they learnt so there is no need to resort to such barbaric acts because they are disturbing other pupils who are ready to write the exams,” the PS said. He further emphasised the need for head teachers to communicate any suspicious acts among pupils to their respective REOs.

“It is imperative that head teachers report any unbecoming behaviour they spot among pupils so that the offices of the REOs can act appropriately in curbing that,” he said. It should be noted that government was emphatic that there would not be automatic promotions this year as pupils had to be assessed before proceeding to the next class. Meanwhile, the National Commissioner of Police William Dlamini condemned the act and further advised parents to warn their children from engaging in such unbecoming behaviour as it compromised their future.

Dlamini further advised pupils to focus on studying and doing better in their exams than putting their efforts on something that would result in them being apprehended and facing the wrath of the law. “It is wrong that some pupils have resorted to burning books and school furniture and now they have turned into burning examination papers. As police, we totally condemn such an act because there are some pupils who have prepared themselves for the exams. Parents should play their role and warn their children against engaging in such unruly behaviour,” Dlamini said.

Unrest

Clinical Psychologist Ndo Mdlalose said the recent unrest incidents have had a negative effect on the pupils’ preparedness and readiness to learn due to the fact that they had been demotivated by the opening and closing of schools abruptly by government last year. Mdlalose said a majority of the schools she visited during her educational campaign proved that most of the pupils were at a point of sacricificing their future and resort to violent acts. She said some pupils were fed-up and were not keen to learn, hence they have resorted to mob attacks like in this instance. She described the current state of affairs in schools as a disaster due to the fact that group discussions and motivational speeches could be the only tool used to ensure that they listened and implemented what they have been told rather than conducting one-on-one counselling sessions.

“During my visits in schools, I learnt that most pupils wanted to do away with learning because they had been subjected to situations that were not conducive for the growth of their minds, academically to say. I believe government with all the education stakeholders should find a lasting solution to this before it explodes,” she said.

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