Children to be mobilised for free education march

MANZINI – School age going children will be mobilised to join their parents as part of the scheduled second-phase demonstrations on free primary education.

A mobilisation campaign by organisations to lure children to be part of the two-day protest action slated for the 19th and 20th of this month is set to be undertaken.  
The protest actions, organised by civic groups led by the Council of Churches, are set to coincide with the opening of schools for the second term.

The decision to rope children into the protest actions is because the issue being tackled borders on their future.
Ndlavela Dlamini, president of the Swaziland Ex-mineworkers Association, yesterday said in-school pupils should consider the suffering that their out-of school colleagues must be going through at the moment.
The Ex-miners is the association that successfully challenged the non implementation of free education this year.
“We will be part of the protest action and this time we are going to talk to our children to join the march because this is their future,” Dlamini said.

He continued: “Studies have shown that there are 38 000 children who are presently not in school and this had serious repercussions for the country’s future which we have to correct.”

Dlamini said government would see the streets filled with protestors should it persist with its stance to implement free primary education in stages beginning next year. Last month, civic groups staged a successful demonstration that attracted close to 3 000 people but children were not formally invited to partake in the protest.

Government Spokesperson Macanjana Motsa when asked on the effect the march could have on the re-opening of schools for the second term said this was a legal matter and government would consult with the office of the Attorney General.

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