PUPILS IN 3 SCHOOLS BOYCOTT CLASSES, TABLE DEMANDS

MANZINI – Pupils in three schools yesterday boycotted classes and tabled various demands to their administrations.

At Ncabaneni High School, pupils started a fire outside the school’s gate when they boycotted classes and tabled 10 demands to the administration. This took place yesterday morning in the school located at Ncabaneni near Khalangilile in the Manzini Region. A source close to the matter said the pupils started singing political songs while inside their classrooms and later started picketing around the school. Thereafter, they prepared a handwritten petition, which was directed to the office of the acting head teacher. Through the petition, the pupils said they wanted to learn and the office should consider how to deal with the shortage of teachers. The source claimed that there were a number of vacant positions for teachers in the school.

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They also demanded that the school should hire an Information and Technology (IT) teacher as their parents paid for the subject. The source claimed that the school did not have an IT teacher. “We have a right to choose our class prefects,” the pupils said in the petition. The insider alleged that currently, class prefects were appointed by teachers. Furthermore, the pupils also demanded to wear surgical masks. They said they did not see a difference between them and teachers when it came to COVID-19. The source claimed that the school encouraged the pupils to wear cloth masks because they allegedly failed to maintain surgical masks. For example, the source said some pupils were wearing the surgical masks for two consecutive days, yet it should be worn at least for four hours.

On top of that, the pupils demanded that teachers should be removed from the library. They said the school should hire a full-time librarian. The source said there were about three teachers who usually worked at the library. “The pupils claim that they do not study well in the presence of the teachers,” the source said. Through the petition, the pupils also demanded refunds for monies they paid for cellphones and data. The source claimed that the school had a partnership with a mobile company to supply it with cellphones and data packages, thus it asked the pupils to pay E700. However, while the head teacher was working on the matter, he passed on. The source said the programme was left hanging, thus the pupils wanted their refunds. They also demanded proper and clean toilets and that when they owed school fees, they should not be sent home because failing to pay on time was not their fault. Again, they demanded that corporal punishment should be banned and that the school’s cook should wear a uniform.

demands from Ncabaneni pupils:
We want to learn and the office should consider how to deal with the shortage of teachers.
The school should hire an Information and Technology (IT) teacher as our parents pay for the subject.
We have a right to choose our class prefects.
We demand to wear surgical masks because we do not see a difference between us and teachers when it comes to COVID-19.
Teachers should be removed from the library.
We demand refunds for monies paid for cellphones and data.
We demand proper and clean toilets.
When we owe school fees, we should not be sent back home because failing to pay on time is not our fault.
Corporal punishment should be banned.
The school’s cook should wear a uniform.

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