By Wendy Magagula

NKANINI: *Samkelo Dlamini, a pupil at Nkanini Primary School has alleged that their teacher Cinisile Sihlongonyane and their Headteacher allegedly ordered the police to assault them over missing school keys that they knew nothing about.

The school is situated at Ncandweni in the poverty striken Lubombo region, eastern parts of eSwatini. 

Speaking to this Swaziland News on Tuesday, Dlamini said the teacher first questioned them over the missing keys and when they denied knowledge of the keys, she reported them to the Headteacher who was standing with the police within the premises monitoring the ongoing protests in schools.

“The police dragged us into another classroom that was open and assaulted us. They tried to bang the head of another pupil against the wall, when they came to me, I was already traumatized and pleaded with them to at least allow me to look for the keys even though I didn\'t know  where they were,” he said.

Questions were sent to Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the Police Spokesperson, however, he she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.

But Cinisile Sihlongonyane, the teacher who stands accused of reporting the children to the police denied the allegations saying she only reported  the matter to the Headteacher who was standing with the police.

“Kindly contact the Headteacher, he will tell you what happened.What was I supposed to do when I found classrooms locked ? stop teaching ?  Please be clear,did  I report them to the police or the Headteacher? Ngicabanga kutsi angakutjela kahle lo-Headteacher, ngimcelile ngamkhweba ngakhombisa nge-sign kutsi ngifuna kukhuluma naye ngoba bekagadze kutsi ngingene eclassini ngamkhweba saba songu-two emvakwejibhi(police van). I told him what happened and he went back to the police. Please don’t involve me in this because I don’t like what is happening as well”, she said.

Efforts to reach the Headteacher proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.

Reached for comment, Sikelela Dlamini, the Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers(SNAT) said he would get a report on what happened from the Big Bend Branch of SNAT before commenting.

“A teacher allowing the police to beat children at school? I will contact the Big Bend Branch to investigate and then we will comment”, said the SNAT Secretary General.

*Not real name of the pupil for ethical reasons.