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TSC TO DEAL WITH ABSENT TEACHERS, HEAD TEACHERS FACE DEMOTION

09/08/2022 15:57:00 Times Reporters

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MBABANE – Woe unto head teachers and teachers who absented themselves and sent pupils home yesterday!

The Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education and Training, Bhekithemba Gama, said all head teachers who sent pupils home would be dealt with by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC). He said head teachers and teachers who would be found guilty during a disciplinary hearing would be demoted or have their services terminated. According to Gama, the ministry had not issued any directive to any head teacher to send pupils home.

The PS stated that as a result, those who decided to send pupils home would be charged and appear before a disciplinary panel at the TSC to explain to their employer how and when they got permission to send the pupils home. “We have been told that there was a number of children who were sent home today (yesterday) by head teachers. They will have to explain to us why they decided to turn the pupils away. The teachers did not show up will also have to answer on why they did not go to work, because that is what they were hired for,” the PS said. It was gathered that the SNAT executive had attended a meeting at the Ministry of Education and Training yesterday.

Dismissed

When questioned about the disciplinary measures to be taken against the teachers if found guilty, the PS said they would treat all cases individually and those found guilty may be demoted or dismissed from work. Furthermore, Gama said he did not know why the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) executive advised teachers to not go to work, while the members of the Executive of SNAT were working on the day. Gama said this was unfair because if the ministry decided to implement the no-work, no-pay rule, the SNAT Executive would get their full salaries.

“The SNAT executive deceived teachers into taking the decision to not attend classes while they themselves were working on the day. I do not understand if that meant that the executive did not see any threats because if they did, why did they not then postpone the meeting and stay at home like all other teachers if really their decision was sincere and for the benefit of the other teachers,” he said.

In response, SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini said teachers did not have to worry about any disciplinary proceedings because the decision to not go to work was provided for by Section 18/2+3 of the OHS Act No.9 of 2001. “Teachers should not fear as they took a decision that was within their rights. There were threats which made teachers decide not go to work. The head teachers also took the right decision as their safety and that of the pupils is important. This shows that the ministry does not consider the safety of its employees and that of the pupils,” said Dlamini.

When asked why the SNAT Executive, including himself, the secretary general and two of their members decided to report for duty while they had advised other teachers to stay at home if they sensed any danger, Dlamini said they had convened a meeting with the Ministry of Education and Training to talk about issues which involved SNAT. “We went there for a meeting with the ministry,” he said.