CLASH OVER NON-CLOSURE OF SOME SCHOOLS

MBABANE – Head teachers and the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) are not seeing eye-to-eye regarding the non-closure of certain schools.

While some head teachers are of the view that there is nothing wrong with certain schools continuing to conduct lessons, SNAT sees it as defiance to the Ministry of Education and Training. At least 50 schools have not closed and continue to teach learners, especially those in completing classes. These are solely public schools which have been hit hard by the constant closures this year due to COVID-19 and the political unrest. Eswatini has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to schools closing between March 2020 and March 2021. There was a brief, short-lived period when schools reopened in March 2021, before closing again in July following the political unrest in the country.

Confirmed

In an interview with some of the head teachers, they confirmed that they were continuing with lessons, adding that they would be winding up at the end of the week. They stated that teachers were teaching to try and catch up for the lost time.  According to the head teachers, no agreement had been made with the parents for their children to attend classes, but pupils who were interested were attending lessons. “It is not a must for the learners to attend school,” they stated.
However, when questioned on the attendance, the head teachers mentioned that it was encouraging as most of the pupils wanted to show up.

Most parents were of the view that this was a good decision. Other parents noted that government created confusion as they had first announced that schools would be closed on December 23. However, they noted that while all other sectors were opened, it did not make sense for government to close schools considering that learners had lost so much time.  Swaziland Association of Schools Administrators (SASA) Secretary General (SG) Siphasha Dlamini said they were not expecting government to close schools early as the calendar they had issued before indicated that they would close on December 23, 2021.

Dlamini said they did not understand government’s decision to open schools for two weeks and again order that they close. “This just threw everybody to a cloud of confusion,” said the SG. Regarding the schools that have resolved to continue with lessons, Dlamini said she believed that the learners in the schools were showing that they wanted to continue learning. She said when the minister of Education and Training, Lady Mabuza, announced the closure of schools, pupils were being motivated to take up the challenge and get ready for their academic year.  

Minister Mabuza said in as much as they were not encouraging schools to continue operating, they were aware of the fact that some were winding up their mock examinations. Mabuza said it would not make sense to abandoned the examinations, adding that they were hoping they would be finished by the end of the week.
Meanwhile, SNAT has strongly warned their members to respect the Education Ministry’s political decision in closing schools as government will not be held liable should anything happen in their respective schools.

SNAT Secretary General (SG) Sikelela Dlamini made this firm warning yesterday when asked what the organisation’s position was regarding that there were some schools which resumed lessons yesterday. Government closed schools last week Friday and they are expected to reopen on January 11. SNAT, on its Facebook page, also requested members to share the list of the schools that resumed lessons yesterday. “It is a serious matter because we didn’t know that there were schools that could resume lessons much against the decision of government. Once one goes against that decision, the ministry or government will not be held liable should anything happen to the teachers as we put respect first in such decisions and see no reason why should we defy a political decision,” the secretary general said.

Encouraged

Dlamini said as an organisation, they encouraged the respect of protocol and political directive of government and saw no reason of defying that decision. The SG said those schools that resumed lessons yesterday did that in their own accord and decision without informing the association. He further advised their members not to go to schools because they were closed. Lubombo Regional Education Officer (REO) Richard Dlamini said there were some schools that resumed practical lessons in subjects like Consumer Science yesterday.

Dlamini, who, however, made it clear that nothing was communicated to his office regarding the resumption of lessons by some schools; confirmed that he saw some pupils going to their respective schools yesterday morning, particularly in the Manzini Region. “To be honest, my office did not receive any reports about some schools having lessons. I am made to believe that these were arrangements between the schools and parents as some pupils are doing practicals in Agriculture and Consumer Science subjects,” he said. His counterpart in Manzini, Sizwe Kunene, said some of the schools that resumed lessons yesterday were winding up their syllabuses, but they had not officially informed his office.

Decision

“It is their own decision as they did not bring it to our attention. I believe they engaged parents in this arrangement. Maybe, we are still to receive reports in this regard,” he said. Meanwhile, Hhohho REO Thulile Langwenya said her office had not been informed about the schools resuming lessons, but she was aware that some pupils were vaccinating for the COVID-19 pandemic at their respective schools. “The vaccination schedule goes beyond the Christmas holidays and pupils were given schedules when schools closed last week Friday, unless teachers had an arrangement with their pupils to continue with lessons,” she said.

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