SNAT MEET THROWS SCHOOLS OPENING INTO CONFUSION

Teachers during a meeting.SNAT last week summoned teachers to an extraordinary meeting scheduled for tomorrow to get a mandate on the cost of living adjustment talks between unions and government. The meeting will be at the SNAT Centre on the same day sch

MBABANE – There is serious confusion on whether pupils will have teachers tomorrow to conduct lessons.

This comes after the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) last week summoned teachers to an extraordinary meeting scheduled for tomorrow to get a mandate on the cost of living adjustment talks between unions and government. The meeting will be at the SNAT Centre on the same day schools open. SNAT is adamant that teachers will be attending the meeting tomorrow, which leaves the question on who will teach the pupils at schools. SNAT Secretary General Zwelithini Mndzebele could not be drawn to comment about what would happen to pupils who would attend school tomorrow. Mndzebele stated that they could only speak about teachers, and questions relating to schools and pupils would have to be directed to the Ministry of Education and Training. He feared putting words in people’s mouths should he speak about pupils.

Mdzebele stated that the meeting was their way of informing teachers about developments in issues pertaining to salary negotiations, among others. He boldly said that teachers should attend the meeting without any fear as it was called by an organisation that had a recognition agreement with government. He added that there was nothing hidden about the meeting. Mndzebele made it clear that it was not the first time they were convening a meeting in this fashion and school operations continued. He confirmed that the meeting would not be after schools close business for the day but would be at 10am. According to him, the ministry was made aware of the meeting in writing but there was no response.
“It is not within our jurisdiction as teachers to close schools, it is in that of the ministry,” he said. Mndzebele added that teachers would have to worry about disciplinary action taken against them only if the association had not informed the ministry about the meeting. 

School administrators’ hands seem to be tied on the matter if the Swaziland Principals Association (SWAPA) President Welcome Mhlanga’s words are anything to go by.
Mhlanga stated that there was nothing they could do to teachers who would not attend school tomorrow, as it was the Teaching Service Commission or ministry’s duty to state what would happen to those teachers.
“All we know is that schools will open tomorrow but we have not heard what will happen to those who will not report for duty,” Mhlanga said.When asked about their role at schools in terms of ensuring that teachers conducted lessons, Mhlanga said head teachers were not guards and all they would do was report for duty tomorrow. He further said they could not comment on whether teachers should go to school or not because they were summoned by their association, SNAT.

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