SOME PARENTS WANT HEAD TEACHER OUT OF SCHOOL

PIGG’S PEAK – It appears that some of the parents whose children at Ntsinini High School had travelled with the Head teacher, Jeremiah Kunene, to pray on a mountain, do not want him back at the school.

Yesterday, several parents had gathered outside the school, demanding to know why he had returned. Some of the parents said they would forcefully go into the school to remove the head teacher. As the head teacher was spotted at the school yesterday morning by some of the parents, residents informed the parents and they began to group up near the school gate. However, they did not take any action and instead waited for the Hhohho Regional Education Officer (REO), Thuli Langwenya,  to arrive at the school as they had been expecting her. “We are waiting for the REO to come to the school,” said some parents.

There were also fears that the residents would become violent and police officers were called. About seven police officers arrived to ensure that the situation was peaceful. Later on, an official representing the REO, arrived as well as police officers from Buhleni and Pigg’s Peak. A meeting was then held where the parents vented out their grievances. Some of the parents also asked what would happen to the head teacher since he had been away from the school for more than three days.

Absence

However, they were advised that his absence from work was a matter that could only be discussed by the Ministry of Education and Training. The parents also said they did not feel safe anymore as they were not consulted when some of their children were taken away to pray on the mountain. Kunene confirmed that there were parents gathered outside his school. He said they had called and asked him how he managed to get back to the school. “They are complaining that I had left with their children,” said Kunene. He said there was no reason to fear that anything would happen to their children. He said the situation would normalise because none of the children got hurt during the time they were away to the mountains. Kunene also claimed that some of the parents had been calling to ask that their children should return to school because they were supposed to be learning. He said not all the children who went along with him were pupils as some are said to have failed.

Meanwhile, residents were also divided on who should be arrested. While some of them wanted the church leadership to be held accountable for taking the children to the mountain, others blamed the parents. “Why did the parents allow children to accompany him?” asked a resident. He said it was an offence for parents to take their children with them to the mountains yet they were supposed to be in school. Meanwhile, when the REO Langwenya was reached for comment, she said she had not been at work as she was unwell.

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