NKANINI: Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini has pledged to pay school fees for the brave Grade seven (7) Nkanini Primary School boy who was assaulted by the police until he finishes school.
The editor said once the boy finished school and qualified to study in a University, he would pay for his scholarship to ensure that he received the best education.
He said what was happening in the country was very unfortunate as children should be in class learning but the circumstances are forcing them out to protest.
Dlamini said the child demonstrated bravery and leadership skills to even agree to be interviewed even after being assaulted by the police adding that children should be protected from violence, receive quality education and allowed to express themselves freely.
“I did research and discovered that this boy is needy, that’s what he told me. His situation is almost similar to my situation when I grew-up wearing torn clothes because of poverty. When I saw that his trouser was torn by the police during the assault, it touched me. I asked him to seek permission from his parent and be accompanied to town to buy a new uniform including grasshopper shoes. He will also get a new smartphone so that he can be exposed to technology. It’s unfortunate that our children have found themselves in this political mess. Under a conducive environment, they must be focusing on education to be better leaders of tomorrow but the situation in the country is forcing them out of their classrooms to protest, this should be addressed as a matter of urgency”, said the editor.
The editor said by assisting this child he was investing in future leadership.
*Samkelo Dlamini,a pupil at Nkhanini Primary School told this publication that police assaulted him together with some of his peers over missing school keys. This comes in the midst of the political unrest, where children are protesting in various schools across the country demanding democratic reforms and the release of arrested Members of Parliament(MPs) Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube.
Appreciating the generosity, the child thanked the editor, he said he wanted to be a police officer when he finished school.
“Ngiyabonga kakhulu Dlamini(meaning: thank you so much. I want to be a police officer when I finish school but I don’t want to be the kind of officer that brutalizes people. Ngifuna kuba liphoyisa kodvwa hhayi lelihlukubeta bantfu. Alternatively, I want to be a doctor” ,he said.
*Not real name for ethical reasons.
Editor Zweli Martin Dlamini to pay school fees, scholarship for needy child.