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57 PUPILS COVID-19+ IN HHOHHO, MANZINI

07/12/2021 08:48:00 BY SETSABILE NKAMBULE

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MBABANE - A total of 57 pupils from 18 schools around Manzini and Hhohho regions have tested positive for COVID-19.

With a total number of 40 pupils from two schools, the Hhohho Region had the most number of cases countrywide, with the highest number of pupils who tested positive for COVID -19. The pupils were from St Mark’s High School and Saim Christian High School. Manzini Region had the highest number of schools with positive pupils, with a total of 16 schools. Combined there were 17 pupils infected with COVID-19 in this region. At least 14 more pupils tested positive for COVID-19 at St Mark’s High School yesterday, taking the number to 22 as eight had previously been confirmed on Friday.

There were seven pupils who were confirmed positive at Mbuluzi High School, two at KaBoyce High by yesterday but almost the entire Form III classes were advised to undergo tests following their contact with two of the pupils who tested positive. The pupils flooded the Mbabane Municipal Council and Msunduza testing centres. Some of the learners could not be tested due to the congestion which was experienced at the testing sites. St Mark’s High Finance Chairperson Musa Ndzimandze confirmed the figures, which he said were rising and very worrying. Ndzimandze stated that they would continue conducting contact tracing, follow the COVID-19 protocol of wearing masks, sanitising and social distancing among other things.

Assembly

He said the school had stopped conducting the morning assembly in the hall but learners remained in their respective classes to avoid crowds. Ndzimandze further noted that they could not afford to close the school as they were struggling to cover the syllabus. He said pupils had been home for a very long time and missed a lot. The chairperson stated that those learners who tested positive would isolate for 10 days and lessons would continue. Mbuluzi High School Head teacher Siza Dlamini said about 14 learners who were at the hostel went to test and seven of those turned out positive. Dlamini said the remaining seven were not able to test due to long queues but were taken by their guardians and would undergo the tests today.

He said those who had tested positive would remain isolated at home while receiving treatment and those who had not tested would continue taking the tests to ascertain their results before returning to the hostel. KaBoyce High School Head teacher Lungelo Nhlengethwa confirmed that two Form III pupils so far had been confirmed positive. Nhlengetfwa said he had requested parents of pupils in Form III to take their children for testing as they were contacts.
Both Shiselweni and Lubombo regions, at the time of compiling this report, did not have any reported cases of COVID-19 in their schools.

According to Hhohho Regional Education Officer Thulisile Langwenya, the schools which were found to have had pupils with COVID-19, sent the infected pupils home for a period of 10 days before they could return to school. Langwenya said the head teachers from these schools also needed to come up with solutions in order to ensure that all the pupils were safe. “Although we do have concerns about schools adhering to the COVID-19 regulations, we trust that they are doing everything according to the regulations. We are also hoping that parents will allow their children to vaccinate in order to be safe and that when they do get infected, they do not get gravely sick. We are hoping that the teachers too are vaccinated,” she said.

Manzini Regional Education Officer Sizwe Kunene said although Manzini had a concerning number of Schools which had pupils who tested positive for COVID-19, it showed that the schools were working hard in ensuring that those who did not have it had lesser chances of getting it. He said this was because the schools had one or two pupils infected. “We are encouraging parents to have their children tested to ensure their safety. I am happy that the schools have been doing a great job in following all the regulations announced by the Ministry of Health in ensuring that less people are infected with COVID-19,” he said.
He encouraged more schools to do so.

Shiselweni REO Siboniso Gumbi said the Shiselweni Region had other problems which they were dealing with. He said pupils around that region did not want to attend classes unless their MPs were released from prison. He said they were currently working on ensuring that every pupil attended classes.
“Currently, in Shiselweni, we are dealing with cases of pupils who do not want to attend school. When questioned why, they say they will only start learning when their Members of Parliament are released from jail. Some said they wanted to attend their court cases,” he said.

Confirmed

Ministry of Education and Training Principal Secretary Bheki Gama confirmed that the ministry was aware of the cases. He stated that schools were a safe space for pupils. Gama mentioned that schools were working hard to ensure that they followed all the regulations as per the request from health experts. He said parents needed to ensure that they worked hand in hand with the ministry and the schools by ensuring that their children had vaccinated. “We are requesting for children to get vaccinated because this will ensure that they do not get gravely sick. We also want to encourage schools to continue following the regulations which were announced by the Ministry of Health, in order for children to continue with their studies,” he said.