MBABANE: Mbongwa Dlamini, the President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers ( SNAT) has warned Education Minister Lady Howard Mabuza against uttering statements that incite students to rise against the government.
This comes after the Minister announced that government would not pay Orphaned and Vulnerable Children's (OVC) and Free Primary Education ( FPE) fees for protesting learners.
Speaking to this Swaziland News , the SNAT President said it was government that incited learners to revolt as opposed to teachers.
“Government should address the concerns raised by the learners instead of issuing threats. We need solutions more than this victimization, government should involve all stakeholders in order to solve these problems.This statement is discriminatory and inciteful" , said the SNAT President.
Lady Howard Mabuza, the Minister of Education when speaking during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon said Government would not release funds for protesting learners.
"Government will release the OVC and FPE funds only for those learners who are in school. May I take this opportunity to warn teachers who incite students to rebel to desist from that behaviour. It is not helping the children but destroying their future”,she said.
This statement comes less than 24 hours after Phila Buthelezi, the Minister of Labour and Social Security announced that students who were protesting demanding democratic reforms would not get scholarships.
Eswatini, a tiny Kingdom situated in Southern Africa is facing a political crisis whereby students across the country are protesting demanding for democratic reforms.King Mswati's government is accusing teachers of inciting the learners to revolt.
SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini