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PRIMARY PUPILS STABS ANOTHER IN STOMACH

17/10/2019 00:53:00 BY KHULEKANI NENE

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SITEKI – A brawl between two Lubombo Central Primary School pupils almost ended tragically when one of them allegedly stabbed another with a sharp object in the stomach.

The incident occurred just before morning prayers on Tuesday, the school administration said. Consequently, the pupil who was stabbed was rushed to Good Shepherd Mission Hospital in Siteki, where he reportedly underwent surgery before the wound was stitched.

“Most teachers had not yet arrived when the incident happened but those present assisted the injured pupil and rushed him to hospital,” said long serving Lubombo Central Primary Head teacher, Solomon Mabila.

School authorities are still investigating what sparked the brawl but the general assumption is that the pupils were quarrelling over a petty issue.
A source privy to the details of the matter told this publication that the pupils apparently started arguing on the way to school. “While other pupils were still walking into the school premises, the two were seen exchanging blows behind a block of classes.

Another pupil who was close by was (allegedly) seen throwing what looked like a knife to the boy who then stabbed the other once in the stomach,” alleged the source.

Information

The pupils are both in Grade VI but their full particulars, including age, were not immediately ascertained at the time of compiling this report.
The matter has been reported to Siteki police. However, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said the assailant had not yet been arrested, as of yesterday afternoon.

She explained: “Police are still investigating and the suspect has not yet been arrested because he is a minor and, as such, there are legal procedures which need to be followed before a minor is brought before court.” Education officials in Lubombo said they would be visiting the school tomorrow to investigate the matter.

Musa Mthupha, the Lubombo Regional Education Officer (REO), said the school administration had already submitted a formal report of the matter to his office. However, he said he was out of office for the better part of yesterday hence he did not get a chance to go through the report. On another note, the boy who allegedly stabbed the other has reportedly been expelled from the school. A source close to the family of the boy told this publication that the mother of the pupil was summoned to the school yesterday morning, where she was informed to ‘find another school’ for her son.

Indication

When asked about the summary dismissal of the pupil, Mabila, the head teacher, said: “I recommended that the pupil should go. I didn’t see a need for a lengthy disciplinary hearing. He should find another school, we can’t be raising thugs.” He added that they were still searching for the weapon which was allegedly used to stab the pupil.

He stated that the boy allegedly hid the weapon after stabbing his schoolmate. The former deputy president of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) further stated that the incident was an indication that security in schools nationwide needed to be improved. “All schools should have security guards so that pupils can be searched when they are entering the school premises,” he suggested.

Last year, a Grade VII pupil at St Holyghost Primary School near Siteki was stabbed to death inside class, allegedly by a man who accused the minor of having an affair with his wife.

Two years ago, a Form II pupil of Sitsatsaweni High School near Siteki was stabbed to death by a man while on his way home from school.
This publication reported at the time that the pupil was stabbed together with his friend who fortunately survived the attack. In 2013, this publication reported that a pupil at Good Shepherd Primary School had shot another, who was allegedly bullying him, with a homemade gun.

Also, violence in schools has soared to alarming levels in neighbouring South Africa. The media in that country recently reported that the Education Union of South Africa (EUSA) had revealed that 50 teachers were attacked or threatened by learners in South Africa’s schools every month.

In addition, it was reported that the union had disclosed that from May 2019 to June 2019, over 600 cases of violence in schools had been reported at its offices.