Times Of Swaziland: EDUCATION SYSTEM OF SD DOES NOT SERVE ITS PURPOSE

EDUCATION SYSTEM OF SD DOES NOT SERVE ITS PURPOSE
================================================================================
The Editor on 11/08/2017 04:09:00


Sir,
The post colonial education system of Swaziland does not serve its entire
purpose of bestowing advantages to its graduates beyond its boundaries. Most
commonly, Form V graduates of the basic education of the kingdom who did not
attain acceptable results in tertiary institutions are wondering helplessly in
Swazi communities, because there aren’t technical institutions to accommodate
them for further education.
They resort to unacceptable community conduct of burglary, premature marriages,
stock and animal thefts, violence of all margins and latitude, as well as all
kinds of community destabilisations. This significant weakness can be solved in
numerous ways to accommodate all basic education graduates of diverse social
backgrounds, intelligence and educational inclination.
In the late 90s and early 2000, there was research aimed at uncovering measures
to incorporate vocational education in schools to benefit learners. This was a
positive input to exonerate the system and bring remission from guilt of
complacency and rigidity. The education system isn’t dynamic and flexible. A
proper dynamic basic education system incorporates not only tertiary education
credentials but it also imparts life skills, 21st century skills, vocational
development, and welcomes everyone regardless of age, paternal status and
beliefs.
It may resonate or reverberate in people’s inner quotient to mention dynamism
in education. It is a blatant truth that times have changed and so are the
educational demands and technology encroachment in education. In as far as our
education system stretches in incorporating change, it’s not satisfactory. In
many countries, learning has gone digital and incorporates 21st century skills.
This stagnancy in education is attributed to the underperformance of the
department, lack of skilled labour, lack objective leadership, lack of radical
alliances with other countries and continuous monitoring.
In the country we have inspectors, one inspector per region per subject to
perform such tedious and action oriented tasks and, as a result, their
affectivity is compromised. In fact, they visit rural schools once in three to
five years. Even if they wanted to bring meaningful and radical change in the
department for the benefit of children, it is impossible to be effective.
The question of benefiting the children in the long-term continues to riddle
with no genuine answer. The future of a Swazi child relies on a hugely
beneficial curriculum, and a well marshaled education system. A challenge to the
Ministry of Education to outperform themselves in that regard is right before
themselves. There are specialists at the University of Swaziland who can assist
in that regard. The ecstasy of success is unmatched by any means but the joy and
pride of every parent resides on the success of the children they gave birth to.
C Gama