HIGH DROPOUT OF FEMALE PUPILS DUE TO ‘KUTEKWA’

PIGG’S PEAK – Fundukuwela High School is faced with a serious problem of  a high dropout of female pupils after being traditionally wed (kutekwa).

Early marriage of pupils at the school has become the major reason for many female pupils to drop out as many of them are being traditionally wed on weekends.
Richard Matsenjwa, the Head teacher at Fundukuwela High School revealed this during the Siswati Day celebrations, which were held at the school yesterday.
He expressed concern that many young girls were no longer returning to school because they were now married women.

“When we hear that a certain girl was crying on the weekend, we know that she is now married,” said Matsenjwa, much to the surprise of the guests who had attended the event. He warned that communities should watch against this so that young people could continue attending class as they were the future of the country. Matsenjwa also urged parents to shun this behaviour so their children could continue with school. Ironically, pupils also performed a play depicting a woman being traditionally wed. This was one of the performances to commemorate Siswati Day.
The head teacher also lamented the state of the school, saying there were no houses for teachers.

He said this was one of the reasons teachers ended up leaving the school and found positions in other schools which end up performing better than Fundukuwela High School.
“We are failing because they are taking away our teachers,” said Matsenjwa.
He further lamented that the school was in a dilapidated state, particularly that the fencing was damaged and that the school did not have running water.
Throngs of pupils were present at the school during the Siswati Day celebrations, which was also attended by outspoken businessman Walter Bennett.

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