HEAVY RAINS: OVER 40 SCHOOLS SUSPEND CLASSES

MBABANE – Classrooms in over 40 schools were half empty yesterday.

Lessons were suspended in other schools due to the low attendance by learners and teachers as rivers and bridges were flooded in the four regions of Eswatini. The heavy rainfall resulted in various communities being isolated as bridges were overflowing, making it impossible to cross over. Gravel roads were slippery, such that public transport workers parked their vehicles.

This left pupils, teachers and other people failing to carry out their everyday business. In the Lubombo Region, about 20 schools had half-empty classrooms due to the bad weather and flooded rivers, resulting in low-level bridges being submerged. Another reason for the suspension of lessons was that some pupils turned up soaked. Head teachers resolved to turn them back to their respective homes. Lubombo Deputy Regional Education Officer (REO) Thami Dlamini said some head teachers failed to submit reports on the state of their schools, considering the wet weather conditions experienced in the past 24 hours.

Bridges

Dlamini said some reported that they had turned back pupils as they arrived at school drenched due to the rainfall. The pupils and members of society who were affected by the heavy rains were those who, among many, used bridges such as Mafucula, Mndobandoba in Big Bend and Manzamnyama, which connects Sitsatsaweni and Siteki.
The deputy REO said some pupils failed to reach their respective schools due to the flooding as public transport was scarce. He urged parents and head teachers to monitor the weather and not send pupils to school if it continued to rain today.

Dlamini further advised head teachers to devise a communication plan with parents to ensure that pupils were safe.
He stated that his office would continue to be in constant communication with head teachers to get information on what was happening in their communities. “We are not sure when the floods will subside as it continues to rain. Parents should also exercise vigilance and not allow their children to go to school when the downpour continues tomorrow (today). Head teachers should turn back pupils if the situation has not normalised,” he said.

Dlamini further warned pupils who roamed around towns after being turned back from their respective schools to go straight home. “They should go back straight to their homes for safety reasons and concerns,” the deputy REO emphasised. On the other hand, in the Manzini Region, about eight informal bridges were flooded, resulting in few pupils in about 22 schools in attendance.

Flooded

The informal bridges that were flooded included one at Ndzevane, a community under the Kwaluseni Constituency and another at Mbuluzane under Kukhanyeni Constituency. Another bridge that was flooded is over Mgubudla River under Mtfongwaneni Constituency. Under Manzini North Inkhundla, the bridge linking Ticantfwini and Manzini Town was flooded and four bridges under Mkhiweni Inkhundla.

These include one linking Luve, through Sidvokodvo River, Njonjane Bridge, Khuphuka Bridge and an informal bridge linking Mliba and Luve. At Kukhanyeni, which is 23 kilometres north of Manzini, the Mbuluzane River was overflowing, resulting in the area being isolated as it became impossible to be reached by road.It was gathered that pupils from Kukhanyeni Primary and High, LaMawandla High and Bhekinkosi Nazarene Primary schools, had difficulty reaching the learning institutions.

A source said this was caused by the incessant rainfall in the country in recent weeks. He said this also affected the fixing of the gravel road linking the constituency’s communities with Manzini. He said this had resulted in members of the public being isolated and stranded when there had been rainfall. Also, Mkhiweni Constituency MP Michael Masuku, said about four bridges were flooded under his constituency, which resulted in the public being isolated and not able to reach their destinations.

Masuku said in the morning he had to stop some pupils headed to Sidvokodvo Primary and High Schools from crossing the Sidvokodvo River as the bridge was flooded. The legislator said in the same hour, he received information that the Njonjane River was flooded and primary school pupils were being turned back by community members after assessing the situation.

“The learners were heading to Nijonjane Primary, while others were going to Dlalisile High School. The roads and bridges are in a bad state due to the torrential rains,” Masuku said. The MP further said residents and pupils of KaKhuphuka Primary and High schools had to delay their journey as the bridge on the eastern side of the Mbuluzane River was flooded.

Vaccination

He said the flooded bridges resulted in a vaccination programme being delayed as many people could not reach the centre on time. Nkomiyahlaba Constituency MP Welcome Shongwe said pupils at Vusweni High, Mhlahlo High, Sigombeni Primary and High schools could not reach their schools as the road was in a bad state. He said most public transport workers suspended operations during rainy days, such that the members of the public were forced to hitchhike or were unable to reach their workplaces or schools.

Some pupils living at Mbikwakhe braved the raging Luntsantsama River to get to school as the bridge was washed away over the weekend. The river was flooded and was used by pupils from various schools. Luntsantsama River is situated in Matsapha and feeds into the Great Mtilane River. Although not big, the river was flooded following the ongoing rains.

Meanwhile, pupils attending various schools, such as Matsapha Infant Practising Primary, as well as Mbekelweni Primary, had two choices yesterday; either to abandon classes and not go to school, or leave their homes and wade through the dangerous river. Most pupils chose the latter. This publication gathered that the learners encountered danger on their way to their various schools across the river. Some pupils were seen assisting each other cross the river.

A community member, who identified himself as Sipho Dlamini said it was saddening to see young children risking their lives for education when government could address the issue of infrastructure. Dlamini said others had even sought accommodation closer to school to avoid the danger of wading through the flooded rivers on their way to and from school. He added that the pupils crossing the river in the morning and afternoon was exhausting and dangerous to them.

Kwaluseni Constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Sibusiso Mabhanisi Dlamini said seven bridges were under construction in the inkhundla and one of them needed urgent attention as it was damaged.
He acknowledged that he received a report about the Ndzevane Bridge, which was a challenge for pupils crossing to and from school. The MP pointed out that they were attending to that bridge, with the assistance of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, which would soon fix it. “We are aware that learners are currently faced with the challenge of the flooded rivers. But we assure community members that the bridge is under our attention,” the MP assured.

Difficulty

Pupils from Gundvwini High School, Ngwane Park Primary and High schools and learners from schools in the city, had a tough time reaching their schools as the Mgubudla River was flooded, resulting in difficulty in reaching their destinations. The effects of the heavy rains are becoming a hinderance as the bridge at Sidzakeni, which connects about 200 residents of Sidzakeni and Gundvwini, was also flooded. As a result, residents who travel to work found themselves having to either walk barefoot across the flooded river to board public transport.

The pupils and motorists had to travel through Ngwane Park Township via KaShali, in order to reach their various schools. Also, Manzini REO Sizwe Kunene said his office had received reports of some schools releasing pupils early. These schools, he said, included Moyeni High School. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati advised the public not to dare try to cross overflowing bridges and flooded streams or rivers. Vilakati pleaded with parents and teachers to ensure that children were kept safe throughout this period.

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