SEND KIDS TO SCHOOL TODAY, SAYS MINISTER

Journalists and SWANCEFA members in a discussion with Human Rights lawyer Thulani Maseko (R) during a media workshop yesterday at Rumblas in Mbabane. (Pics: Phumelele Mkhonta)

MBABANE – Come rain or sunshine, schools are opening today. This was the gist of what the Minister of Education and Training Phineas Magagula said during an interview yesterday.

Magagula stated that he would not argue anything about schools opening today as that might mean that he was also in doubt. He emphasised that all teachers would be in schools teaching pupils. “Schools will open tomorrow (today) on the 12th and all teachers will be at schools,” he clarified.

Addressing the thorny issue of food delivery in schools, Magagula did not come out clear about when it would be delivered.
He stated that he was still waiting for a report from the Ministry’s nutritionist whom he said was out of office. He promised to communicate about the issue today.

According to the government website, there are 600 primary schools in the country with an enrolment of 239 793 pupils. Some of these pupils might not eat at school today due to that food has not been delivered.
On another note, sources stated that there were over 50 schools that had not received FPE grants from government. Some of these schools were said to be in the rural areas.

The FPE programme is funded by the government with the assistance of the European Union (EU). The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training, Pat Muir, stated that there were no problems with the share coming from the EU.
Muir stated that he was yet to find out what was stalling the funds on the side of government.

He, however, stated that it was all systems go today as schools would open as planned. He shared that the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) usually calls branch executives to meetings while other members remained at schools.

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