DEFIANT VELEBANTFU PUPILS, TEACHERS STAND-OFF CONTINUES

LUQOLWENI – In a sign of continued defiance, striking Velebantfu pupils yesterday allegedly refused to meet with their teachers, but instead listened to the REO Thabile Nxumalo.

The defiant learners, in messages conveyed through police officers present on the school premises, refused to meet with their teachers until an agreement was reached over their grievances.

The pupils had been asked to be at the school at 9:30am yesterday for a meeting with senior officials from the Shiselweni Regional Education Office, but the meeting ended up taking place about three hours later.

This was particularly caused by a standoff between the disgruntled pupils and their teachers, whom they vowed not to entertain until their issues were addressed.

Bystanders said most pupils observed the time that had been scheduled for the meeting but instead of entering the school premises, the over 500 pupils chose to sit under a big tree located next to the local bus station.

This was from where messages were exchanged between the teachers and the angry pupils, through police officers who were in the area to maintain order, according to witnesses.

The officers had to endure going back and forth in order to facilitate communication between both parties, for over three hours as the pupils refused to listen to their teachers.

An eyewitness said tension finally calmed down at around noon, when the pupils eventually agreed to go and meet the REO with her officials.
This meant they were only addressed by the Ministry of Education and Training officials, who invited all the pupils to forward their grievances in the form of writing.

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