Parents frustrated as most urban schools full

MBABANE – With the new academic year just days away, parents are still desperately searching for spaces for their children, while head teachers maintain that most schools are already full.

Across Mbabane and surrounding areas, anxious parents were seen moving from one school to another in a last-minute rush to secure placements, particularly for pupils entering Form I. At several schools visited yesterday, long queues formed outside administration blocks as parents waited from dawn, hoping to be among the few lucky ones to secure spaces.

Others were seen clutching envelopes, ready to make immediate payments should an opportunity arise. However, many schools have reached full capacity and are no longer accepting new admissions.

At St Mark’s High School Head Teacher Khanyisile ‘Baah’ Shabangu confirmed that registration closed at 3pm yesterday for pupils who had already passed their entrance interviews. She revealed that only about 30 spaces were available on Monday for those who met the school’s admission requirements and those slots had since been filled.

“Ninety-five per cent of the admitted pupils have already paid their fees. Even if a few do not return, the number of available spaces will still be very limited,” said Shabangu.

She added that while she sympathised with parents who continue to visit the school despite being informed that spaces are full, there was little the school could do due to infrastructure and resource limitations.

“We wish we could take them all in, but our facilities simply cannot accommodate more learners. The only chance some parents have is the eventuality of a few admitted pupils not showing up by the 3pm deadline,” she said.

A similar situation was observed at Ka-Boyce High School, where parents said they had arrived as early as 6am hoping to be assisted. However, school officials told them that all spaces had been filled.

The Deputy Head Teacher at Ka-Boyce, Nathi Nkambule, said: “It is very disturbing and painful to be turning parents away, as we know they wish for their children to learn here, but it is beyond our control. We had hoped to admit 135 pupils for Form I, planning three classes of 45 learners maximum, but we have long surpassed that.”

One parent, when asked why he remained at the school despite being told the school was full, said: “We were told the school is full, but we’re still waiting, hoping something changes.” He requested anonymity.

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… economist urges parents to avoid shylocks

MBABANE – Renowned economist Sanele Sibiya has cautioned parents against turning to shylocks to pay school fees.

Sibiya warned that such informal lenders often charge extremely high interest rates that trap borrowers in deepening debt. Sibiya, who is also University of Eswatini Lecturer, said parents who have not saved for school fees throughout the year should, where possible, seek financial assistance from registered financial institutions rather than resorting to shylocks.

He said shylocks often charge interest rates as high as 50 per cent, making it difficult for borrowers to repay the loans and worsening their financial situation. “Half the time, shylocks charge very high interest rates, sometimes up to 50 per cent and that makes it very difficult to pay off the debt,” Sibiya said.

The economist explained that many people who borrow from shylocks are already financially stretched and unable to access loans from registered financial institutions. He noted that no one would choose a shylock if they had the option of borrowing from a bank or other registered lenders.

“These are people who are already stretched financially. If they had an option to go to a bank or any registered financial institution, they would do so. Many end up going to shylocks for loan consolidation,” he said.

Sibiya stressed that the challenge around school fees could be avoided through early planning and saving, urging parents to be mindful of education costs from the beginning of the year.

He said saving is the most reliable way for parents to prepare for school openings, especially considering that schools usually reopen before payday in January. “Parents should save and prepare for school openings as early as the beginning of the year, even if it means joining stokvels. Schools usually open before payday in January and parents can then use the money they saved to settle school fees,” he said.

*Full article available in our publication