Times Of Swaziland: RESPOND TIMEOUSLY TO CRITICAL ISSUES

RESPOND TIMEOUSLY TO CRITICAL ISSUES
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BY Alex Nxumalo on 21/11/2020 23:15:00


The main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its youth” -
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, Dutch philosopher and Christian scholar,
1466-1565.
With due respect, to our government, the phrase ‘the more things change, the
more they stay the same’, at times, and more-often-than-not, aptly and
fittingly applies, especially in relation to her often lethargic and nonchalant
response to some matters of national importance. In my books, the phrase
appropriately describes our civil authority’s often adamantine and obstinate
attitude towards matters that call for a change (in attitude) in responding
timeously to critical issues. In reiterating, I am humbly saying this with due
respect, but also with brutal honesty - as I see it.
Of course, this may not go down well with those subservient to the dogma or
tenets of our system of government. Sadly, in this life, there often comes a
time when the brutal truth has to be told - without fear or favour, and
irrespective of the consequences. Concerning truth, the upright and moral in
society always caution that, ‘better to be slapped with the truth than kissed
with a lie’. I am not sure why they say that, but read between the lines.
students
I do not know about you, dear reader, but to yours truly, the now,
more-often-than-not, perennial issue of running battles (protest actions)
between tertiary students and our civil authority, over the contentious
(tincabekelwano, reluctance, or whatever?) stance by government in awarding
scholarships and/or allowances to tertiary students, as well as some other
related issues, is not something to shrug off any longer, looking the other way.
Time for finding a lasting solution to this issue is long overdue. We, or
rather, the all-important stakeholders, need to act decisively before it is too
late, and prevent seeds of hatred being sowed against (and the defiance for)
anything named ‘authority’, by future generations.
A week or so ago, we woke up to read in our media, news which hiked up fragile,
blood pressure (BP) levels in some of us elderly citizens. Such worrying news
was about how – hardly three weeks after the commencement of the 2020/2021
academic year – University of Eswatini students from Kwaluseni, Mbabane and
Luyengo campuses, engaged in protest action, demanding that all first-year
students be awarded scholarships. The cause of disagreement; a large number of
admitted students were left out from a released scholarship list, resulting in
students from the Mbabane and Luyengo campuses descending to the Kwaluseni
campus to demonstrate at the entrance of the tertiary institution. The rest, as
they say, is history.
media
According to media accounts, students were aggrieved by the fact that the
Ministry of Labour and Social Security had released a scholarship (award) list,
awarding scholarships to a fewer number of first-year students, compared to
previous years. The protesting students put it succinctly clear that, until the
ministry increased the number of students to be awarded scholarships, they would
not be attending classes. What is of interest, though, is the concern raised by
the students over the criteria used in awarding the scholarships. That is the
million-Dollar question some of us interested in the whole rigmarole, would love
to get answers to. Allegations are to the effect that, ‘more than half of the
admitted students who qualified for the scholarship programme were not awarded
same ….’ A real cause for concern!
Kwentekani mbamba-mbamba with the scholarships awarding criteria, we cannot help
but ask? Why is it that every year, government and tertiary institutions
students are always at each other’s throats, squaring off against each other
over such an important, fundamental right, as the right to education of our
children? We as parents and taxpayers sincerely hope that there is nothing
bordering on ‘bukhonyovu’ at play in the scholarship selection process.
The scourge of corruption in this God-forsaken country has insidiously affected
many areas, government institutions being the worst hit, such that asisati kutsi
kuphi, ngukuphi. You see, as ‘subjects’ of this system of government,
anything even bordering on the credible, coming from our government, is always
viewed with suspicion.
It is no secret that some past (inclusive of the present one) governments in
this country, had rarely been ‘citizen friendly’ (or should it be, user
friendly?) and had let us down, numerous times in the past, such that even
anything positive government does that has traces of transparency and reflects
above aboard signals, is always viewed with suspicion. Can our authorities blame
us, ‘timfucuta’, for such attitude?
We, as concerned citizens, who are also parents, would love to know kutsi ngabe
lomsindvo kahle, kahle wani because last time I checked, natural logic dictates
that all deserving students are, or rather should be, entitled to scholarships
– ngci, period. Those being denied their future babani kani? It is
encouraging, though, to note that the minister in charge of the ministry
responsible for the chaos was quoted as having said: “We are working on it”.
He reportedly said government was still ‘working on awarding more scholarships
to deserving emaSwati students’. That is commendable, if transparent.
Interestingly, he is reported to have said that, ‘pass rates for the 2020/2021
academic year were very high, hence the competition for the scholarships was
very high’. Hmmm...
A couple of days or so, later during the same week (that is, a week or so ago)
in what appears to have been a meticulously planned and strategic move of making
their protest action to be tellingly felt, the resolute students delivered a
petition in one of the most relevant institutions - the legislative arm of
government - Parliament. It is important to mention that (some) members of our
at-times rigid and docile Parliament have lately and somewhat pleasantly become
the darlings of the electorate.
Reason; they have won some crucial battles over a government intent on playing
the despotic card to the fullest, promulgating legislation intent on muzzling
the fundamental, social and economic rights of the electorate.
behaviour
As usual, the imposing, no-nonsense police, flaunting armoured casspir vehicles,
were present, keeping a roving, hawk-eye on any possible, wayward behaviour by
students. Unfortunately for these, more-often-than-not, violence-prone security
forces, the motley crowd of students portrayed a matured behaviour and sanity
won the day.
It seems that tertiary students were not done yet, with the mission of
delivering petitions. Seemingly, in a deadly serious mission of delivering a
poignant, impactful and significant message of, ‘enough is enough’, that
would evoke an empathetic and favourable response from relevant arms of
government, they also delivered the master-stroke: another petition at the heart
and centre of government business - Cabinet Offices - in their quest to signal
that the scholarship issue had tested their measure of tolerance for too long,
and to the fullest. It was payback time.
It is maybe of significance for me to mention that the students, led by their
president, one Mlamuli Gamedze, put it in brutally honest words, clearly
articulating that ‘they were submitting the petition in full defence of their
basic right to education which appeared to be under the threat of being denied
them by government’. Wow!
I was pretty impressed by the articulated use of words of wisdom, contained in
the petition: “We are calling upon government to take education seriously
(emphasis mine) and this must be reflected through the nature in which resources
are allocated towards education…as students and citizens of the country, our
main concern is the economic development and sustainability of our country,
especially in such times, whereby all countries across the globe are suffering
an economic blow due to the global COVID-19 pandemic…”
education
And here is the clincher: “It is a known fact that education is the salvation
and primary tool to the development of any nation that seeks to develop…” If
this was not the last nail in the coffin, then I am short of words to describe
what it is. We are waiting with unabated breath, drooling in anticipation, eager
to witness if government will respond positively to the petitions presented by
tertiary institutions students over the scholarship awarding saga. You see, only
a blind and deaf citizenry of this country would fail to recognise that
government, as a result of her inexplicable and at times negative response to
national issues of mammoth importance, has become to some, public enemy number
one.
It is important also that we all row the boat in unison and in the same
direction, as patriotic citizens (not timfucuta, please!) of this country. No
liSwati citizen deserves to be treated as an outcast or second class citizen,
undeserving of accessing basic, fundamental rights (and services) as enshrined
in our Constitution.
Our children deserve to be awarded scholarships, if and when they qualify. Let
us stop throttling each other. To those privileged enough to be in positions of
power, I respectfully implore them to constantly guard against using
off-the-cuff comments, like the use of words that belittle students who
legitimately protest against abuse of their fundamental rights.
Unsavoury, name calling like ‘ema hlongandlebe’ when they genuinely protest
for their fundamental rights, makes a mockery out of those paid succulent perks
and benefits to serve the nation, such benefits made possible by parents of the
so-called ‘emahlongandlebe’, through taxes.
Is that asking for too much yemaSwati akitsi? Shalom!