By Nokwanda Mamba

MBABANE: Lady Howard-Mabuza, the Minister of Education and Training has shutdown schools amid protests in some schools across the country.

This comes less than two(2) weeks after the schools were fully opened in the midst of the political unrest in this tiny Kingdom that remains unresolved.

But in a public statement, the Education Minister said the schools  will close on Friday, 10th December 2021 for Christmas holidays and re-open on the 11th January 2022.

“The Ministry of Education notes in appreciation all the efforts that parents and teachers have put towards the reopening of schools. We thank teachers for working tirelessly in helping learners acquire maximum knowledge and skills in the short time that schools have opened.”said the Minister.

The decision by Mswati’s Government to shutdown schools comes after some schools were burned allegedly by protesting children some were subsequently arrested by the police.

Reached for comments, Mbongwa Dlamini, the President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers(SNAT) confirmed that children continued with protests shortly after the schools were opened few weeks ago.

“Government failed to meet the demands of the children hence they continued with their protests”, said the SNAT President.

It has been disclosed that Mhlume High School is among the schools that were burned last week.

Eswatini is in the midst of a political unrest, University students, school children and the general members of the public are demanding democratic reforms, however, Mswati responded by unleashing the army and the police to shoot and kill dozens of civilians.

The Human Rights Commission released a preliminary report suggesting that forty-six(46) people were killed while political parties and the civil society alleged that they have evidence substantiating that over one hundred(100) people were killed while over seventy(70) have been identified.