NO FOOD, PUPILS WALK 14-19KM TO SCHOOL, SOME COLLAPSE

MBABANE – In the remote community of Makhamatfo, nestled deep within the Gege Constituency, every sunrise marks, not just the beginning of a new day, but a daunting journey for its young souls.

Every morning, children as young as six years old embark on a journey that tests both their physical endurance and their hunger for education. Some travel at least 14 kilometres, while others travel over 19 kilometres by foot, to receive an education in different schools within the constituency. For these pupils, education is not just a privilege, but a pursuit fraught with challenges that unfold with each step. They are exposed to scorching heat and sometimes relentless downpours, while they persevere along dusty roads and rocky terrains. Despite their unwavering determination, not all who begin this journey reach the school gates. It was said some succumb to exhaustion along the journey, while some collapse during morning assemblies, due to fatigue. For others, the Makhamatfo residents said the burden of distance became too heavy to bear, forcing some pupils into a heart-breaking decision, to prioritise survival over education.

Despite this, the community still believes education is the key to a brighter future. The schools attended by the pupils include Mlindzini Secondary, Mshengu High, Mashobeni High and Vulamehlo Primary School, among others. Reaching all these schools requires determination and endurance for the pupils. During a visit by this publication to the community, this reporter got first-hand experience of some of the challenges faced by the pupils daily. Mhlahlweni Chiefdom Acting Indvuna Albert Vilakati said the absence of a nearby school is a challenge for the community. Vilakati said their children woke up as early as 5am to travel to school and return late in the afternoon. He said they engaged the previous Members of Parliament (MPs) numerous times on the matter, but nothing had changed. He mentioned that the umphakatsi allocated land for the construction of a school in 2004 and was approved by the Ministry of Education and Training officials, who visited the area. He shared that they had not received any progress report.

Chores

In an interview with this publication, one resident shared that they were unable to send their children to do home chores during the week, because they were always exhausted and returned home very late. “Travelling the long distance affects the children’s performance at school. Teachers say the children are always tired and fail to concentrate in class,” the resident said.
Another resident shared that their children were exposed to severe weather conditions while going to school. The resident stated that the community does not even have a preschool, for their children to access early childhood education. According to the resident, they are forced to enrol their children in school when they are old enough to withstand the journey. Additionally, the resident explained that as a community, they wanted their children to receive the best education; but the circumstances did not permit them.

The resident also mentioned that, despite worrying about the long journey, they also had to worry about their children’s safety, while they travelled along the dusty terrains. The residents also shared that the community did not have nearby shops, as they also had to travel long distances to get the services they needed. On the same note, Mhlahlweni Bucopho Sibongile Kunene, said the pupils struggled as they travel by foot to reach the different schools. Mlindzini Secondary School Head teacher Enerst Mabaso concurred with Kunene’s assertion, saying pupils enrolled in his school travelled long distances by foot.

Mabaso said whenever the pupils arrived at school, they were extremely exhausted and some even collapsed during the morning assemblies. He said a number of the pupils travel the long journeys hungry, thus they try by all means to provide food in the school. “The school is in debt. We visit shops with nothing, because we mostly rely on the orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) grants. If we have not received the grant, we buy the food on credit, so that the pupils have something to eat,” Mabaso said. Adding, the head teacher explained that the challenges faced by the pupils did not only affect them, but also the school in terms of performance. He went on to state that, as a school, they could not offer lessons on weekends or during holidays, because the pupils travelled long distances, thus they preferred to give them time to rest. “As a school, we are also forced to cut classes early, to allow the pupils to return home safely.

Teachers

“These challenges are not just faced by the pupils alone, but also the teachers. There is only one public transport vehicle that travels once, in the morning, and returns in the afternoon. So travelling from Nhlangano to the school is a struggle,” he said. He said pupils tend to lose a lot of learning time while teachers struggle with transport if they are not within the school quarters. “Last year, we recorded a First Class with Merit in Junior Certificate and Second Class passes. We were ecstatic with the results, because we know the pupils’ daily struggles. Even in Form V, there were credits,” he said.

Furthermore, Mabaso raised concerns about the non-payment of school fees.  He highlighted that a majority of the pupils were under the OVC Fund and they had only three per cent of pupils paying for themselves. Mabaso explained that the challenges with the school fees made the school struggle financially. “We rely on the OVC grants and the money is not enough to cover all the school’s needs. We try to ask parents to pay the little they can afford, so that the school can have the little cash flow, to make ends meet,” Mabaso said. Meanwhile, Gege Member of Parliament (MP) Magesi Dlamini, said they had already visited the chiefdom and received the residents’ concerns. Dlamini said they would work hand-in-hand with the community and also approach some stakeholders who could help with their challenges. “Our wish as a constituency is, we want the school to be constructed within the community, so that the children could learn,” Dlamini said.

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