Times Of Swaziland: SOS SHOULD HAVE REMAINED PRIVATE SCHOOL SOS SHOULD HAVE REMAINED PRIVATE SCHOOL ================================================================================ BY Zwelakhe Moahloli on 14/09/2019 00:05:00 MBABANE – The transition from private to government school has affected the development of SOS Herman Gmeiner High School. This was revealed by the school’s head teacher Welcome Mhlanga during a speech and prize function that was held at the institution, yesterday. He explained that the process which started in 2006 was slow. The administrator alleged that the transition frustrated the construction of proper infrastructure. “We cannot build anything at the moment because of government and SOS. The two have failed us. We want our pupils to have access to the best facilities,” Mhlanga told the gathering. He mentioned that even though they were among the top 50 performing schools in country, most pupils left SOS for other learning institutions which had better facilities. Mhlanga informed parents and guests that the school experienced a shortage of teachers during the year under review. “Following the freezing of posts/employment through Circular 3 of 2018, the TSC (Teaching Service Commission) did not post teachers to schools. “As a result, our school did not have a Siswati teacher in the second term. The school committee had to do something to ensure that the affected students had a teacher in front of them. This will definitely have a negative effect on our outcomes in the subject,” he said. grateful Nevertheless, Mhlanga said they were grateful that the TSC had since given them not only the Siswati teacher but also a qualified Maths and Science teacher. On another note, Mhlanga then wished two retiring teachers, Dudu Ngubane and Albert Mnisi the best. Ngubane and Mnisi have been with the school for 22 and 28 years, respectively. Mhlanga said the teachers had contributed immensely to the development of the school. He described Ngubane as someone who was supportive and always gave positive feedback. On Mnisi, Mhlanga said he was a person who dedicated his time to ensuring that learners were prepared for a good future. In their remarks, the retirees shared memories and experiences they had while teaching at the school. Ngubane and Mhlanga were then showered with gifts by their former colleagues, pupils and also the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT). On another note, the Director of The Knowledge Institution (TKI), Fanele Chester Fakudze, educated the pupils on how they could obtain scholarships from various institutions around the world. First, the 31-year-old Fakudze told learners that they would need academic excellence. “What do I mean by that? For you to get a scholarship you need to acquire the right grades. In a nutshell, you need to work hard to achieve the good grades. “After that, you need to have a good relationship with your teachers and the school administration. When you apply for a scholarship you will need a good reference from these people,” she said. relationship Adding, Fakudze said international sponsors want to know the learners’ relationship with their teachers. Also, Fakudze stated that the pupils needed to have great relationships with their community. “Lastly, learners need what we call project management. I have noted that pupils apply for scholarships late. You need to prepare yourself about six months before the institution opens,” she said, Fakudze said they should know requirements and about the things they would need when applying. Illustrating, Fakudze said a learner would apply for an overseas scholarship, only to be told that he was expected to have A’Levels. After the inspirational lecture, the school presented certificates and prizes to top achievers. Worth mentioning, Form One pupil Thandeka Tsela was crowned the school’s best pupil. She was presented with the Principal’s Award. Earlier, Tsela was named the best Form I pupil.