New teachers arrive to an empty Masundvwini Primary

MASUNDVWINI – New teachers arrived to an empty school at Masundvwini Prim-ary, as parents opted to keep their children at home yester-day morning.

The teachers are part of those who have been engaged to replace the 15 teachers who were sacked when the school was temporarily closed last week.

They came with letters from the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) and were allowed in by two armed police officers to see the principal.

They were, however, shy to speak to the media as they simply smiled when questions were put to them about their appointment.

The two police officers who were stationed near the gate called the school principal and informed him that news reporters wanted to interview him, but he allegedly refused. The police officers said: "He says he is sorry he cannot speak to you."

Meanwhile, parents told the Times that they would not send their children to school so long as the substantive teachers have not been reinstated.

"Today we saw some teachers going to the school and that saddens us. We cannot allow this to happen because the future of our children is at stake. We cannot send our children to be taught by inexperienced teachers," said an angry parent.

Three of the new teachers who had just seen the school principal felt intimidated when a car they had hitched for a lift from at the bus stop acted in a strange manner.

It stopped for them, but each time they ran for it, it moved on and stopped again until it suddenly made a U-turn and honked noisily. It had dark tinted windows, making it difficult to see the number of people inside.

The police officers had to fetch the new teachers and arranged for alternative transport to take them to Matsapha as fears of a possible attack by disgruntled parents escalated.

Principal Secretary in the Ministry Education and Training, Pat Muir appealed to parents to be tolerant and allow the new teachers to get down to business before their children’s future is destroyed.

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