NHLANGANO – Members of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) demand a significant increase in the education budget.
This was among various concerns delivered to the Regional Education Office (REO) yesterday.
Various branches demanded a significant increase in the education budget and 100 per cent scholarship funding.
The petition further called for improved working conditions, including addressing teacher overburden, ensuring academic freedom, providing permanent employment for teachers and increasing the OVC (Orphaned and Vulnerable Children) grant.
Other key demands included the timely payment of school fees and university fees, building more classrooms, supplying books and working materials and paying support staff.
The peaceful march organised under the ‘Go Public, Fund Education’ campaign, started in Nhlangano town and concluded with the delivery of the petition, which was received by Deputy REO Gugu Dlamini. She was representing the REO, Siboniso Gumbi, who is currently out of the country. Dlamini confirmed that she would forward the petition to Gumbi, who would then submit it to the Ministry of Education.
The march included SNAT branches from Nhlangano, Gege, Mhlosheni, Mbulungwane and Hlatikhulu. The demonstration was part of a broader campaign to highlight the issues facing the country’s education sector.
SNAT Mhlosheni Branch’s Ndoda Matsebula and the Regional Secretary Zanele Hlophe of the ‘Go Public, Fund Education’ campaign were among the key speakers. Hlophe stated: “We know our education is poor because of the lack of funding. We are asking the government to fund early pre-school to tertiary education. We do not want the government to look down on education.
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