EXAM MARKERS WORKING DAY AND NIGHT

MANZINI - Some teachers, especially those who are marking external examination scripts, are reportedly working day and night.

This, according to some stakeholders in the education sector, could compromise the overall results in schools. A source close to the matter said some of the external examination script markers had not finished marking the internal examination scripts. As such, the source said some of them went to the marking centres during the day and marked the internal examination scripts at their places of residence at night. Sikelela Dlamini, the Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), said this was happening because of the pressure to meet deadlines, since according to the 2022 school calendar, schools would close only for a week, from March 25, 2022 and open on April 5, 2022.

Reports

He said this meant that teachers should mark internal examinations scripts and prepare reports before the schools close on March 25, 2022 (Friday) for the third term of 2021 and reopen on April 5, 2022 for the first term of 2022. He said this meant that they then had to mark and prepare reports for the pupils, yet on the other hand, there were external examination scripts to be marked as well. Again, he said the issue of remuneration of teachers, which he referred to as poor, was another issue why their members had found themselves in a situation where they worked day and night. “They are after the money,” he claimed. He said it was a pity that government was still reluctant to address the issue of salaries, as it was continuously refusing to review their pay.

Civil servants’ salaries were due for a review during the 2021/22 financial year, which end on March 31, 2022. Moreover, the unionist said this could affect the overall results because it meant that the teachers would mark the scripts while tired. He said when a teacher and any person in general worked day and night, their stress levels went up and level of concentration would go the other way.

Rest

Meanwhile, the Eswatini Principals Association (EPA) President, Welcome Mhlanga said even though they had not heard about the issue of teachers who worked day and night, he said generally, it was important for teachers to get enough rest, especially when marking. He said this was because they marked a lot of scripts per day. He said the level of concentration of a teacher who did not get enough rest would be compromised. He said schools were supposed to make arrangements on how things would be balanced if some teachers were going to mark external examination scripts. However, he was quick to mention that no one anticipated this. He emphasised that in order for the teachers to deliver as expected, they needed to rest. Thereafter, he asked not to comment further as the Exams Councils of Eswatini (ECESWA) was in a better position to address the matter.

Meanwhile, a questionnaire was sent to ECESWA Communications Officer Hlengiwe Ndlovu yesterday at 2:55pm. She acknowledged receipt and asked to be given time to consult the relevant structures. However, by the time of compiling this report, she had not responded. In the questionnaire, the communications officer was asked whether ECESWA was aware of the matter, as there was a concern that it might negatively affect the results. She was also asked what ECESWA would do to ensure that results would not be compromised.

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