MANZINI – The education system is under scrutiny as the ministry cracks down on fees, corporal punishment and financial misconduct.
A high-level meeting between head teachers and the Ministry of Education and Training held at Ngwane Park High School has exposed deep-rooted challenges within the education system.
This has prompted Minister for Education and Training Owen Nxumalo to call for urgent reforms, including the standardisation of school fees, the abolition of corporal punishment and a crackdown on illegal financial practices.
Minister Nxumalo is calling for urgent intervention to standardise school fees across the country after it emerged that schools offering the same level and duration of education charge significantly different amounts.
He said such inconsistencies were unfair and placed an unnecessary burden on parents, stressing that government was now actively working on reviewing and aligning school fee structures.
The minister further proposed the introduction of an education levy for the public as a way of strengthening the country’s education system. He explained that while free education had increased access, it had also contributed to the deterioration of school infrastructure due to limited maintenance funding.
Nxumalo acknowledged that maintenance remains a major challenge in schools, largely because of insufficient government funding, and in some cases, low enrolment. However, he assured stakeholders that the issue is being attended to.
He emphasised that Their Majesties value teachers and that he had been heavily instructed by the King to ensure that learners are taught in conducive environments.
He added that the issue of contract teachers must be resolved, stating that government regrets employing teachers differently from other civil servants.
The minister also thanked teachers for embracing the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, noting that with support from the European Union, more training will be rolled out to address concerns about inadequate preparation. Some teachers will also be sent to Zambia for specialised training on the CBE curriculum as part of strengthening the education system in the country.
Uniforms are also under review, with the minister pointing out that there are too many variations among schools. He stressed that orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs) must never be expelled from school under any circumstances.
Concerns were raised by some head teachers to the minister that some parents were refusing to pay fees, knowing that learners would not be sent home. The minister responded by urging schools to apply ‘bucopho’ in identifying genuine OVCs while maintaining that no learner should be excluded from education.
The minister also addressed issues related to sexual offences and domestic violence (SODV), stating that learners involved must not be expelled but guided and supported, especially in cases where you find that issue is still before the court of law
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