STUDENT-TEACHER WRITES EXAM FOR PUPIL

MBABANE – Are some people taking advantage of the situation at schools? This question comes to the fore following allegations that a former student teacher of Mvimbeko High School did the unthinkable as he wore the school’s uniform and reportedly wrote a Phys-Chem paper for one of the pupils.

According to impeccable sources, the student teacher did his teaching practice at the school after he was attached from one of the local tertiary institutions. The sources alleged that the student teacher, *Thabo, entered the examination room wearing the school’s uniform and sat where one of the pupils was supposed to sit and proceeded to write the examination on behalf of the learner.

Sources stated that this went unnoticed by the invigilator whom they claimed was not a teacher by profession. They alleged that he was from the area and was tasked to be an invigilator, however, he did not know all the pupils who were to sit for the paper. They said also present at the school were police officers who were, however, not in the examination room.

They stated that Thabo was able to easily sit for the paper because the invigilator did not know all the pupils. They shared that the issue was raised by other pupils after they had finished writing their examination that afternoon.

Mvimbeko High School Head teacher, who was only identified as Khanyile, when asked about this, said they were still investigating the matter. He said he was in a meeting with certain people regarding the same matter and asked to be called later.
“Can I not respond for now because we are still investigating, please call me later,” Khanyile said.
When later called, the interview ended in a sudden manner, presumably due to poor network connection. Further attempts to reach him failed as calls could not go through to his mobile number.

Manzini Regional Education Officer Mlimi Mamba said he could neither confirm nor deny the matter as he was yet to be furnished with a report on it. He said he only heard about it but could only comment after receiving the report. Examinations Council of Eswatini Registrar Dr Edmund Mazibuko, when reached for comment, asked to be called later as he was in a meeting. Mazibuko, when later called, did not answer his mobile phone.

Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini said Thabo seemingly took advantage of the situation with the impression that teachers were on strike.

Mistake

Dlamini said the mistake made by the Ministry of Education and Training was to relegate head teachers to the background while they had to be hands on.
Dlamini said they did not want their members to invigilate during examinations as this often came with problems. He said in the event there was malpractice, teachers were called for disciplinary hearings and sometimes fired. He said they did not want their members to be associated with that but examinations should be the responsibility of head teachers.

Dlamini also said they could not rule out the possibility that some people used the prevailing situation to their advantage. He further said the Examinations Council of Eswatini was a competent body which would deal decisively with the matter. He said as teachers, they did not want their members to be associated with malpractice.

Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) Secretary General Mduduzi Gina said it was possible for someone to walk into an examination room and write a paper on behalf of pupils. Gina said teachers were well versed about invigilating but was concerned that they seemingly did this under the barrel of a gun this year.

He said it could not then be expected that they perform at their level best. He said what was more of a concern was that some of the invigilators were not even teachers and might not have the skill to differentiate between a pupil and someone who posed as one.

“We will be expecting a lot of such reports if government believes invigilating under the barrel of a gun is the answer where children are involved,” Gina said. He called on government to remove all police officers from the schools  centres.

He said they should only be present after invitation from head teachers due to certain circumstances that warranted their presence. He said this should not be confused with that they were saying police should not do their job, but that it should not appear as if police were part of the education system.
Gina said pupils were young and their minds were easily swayed.

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