By BY NELISIWE DLAMINI

 MLUMATI: From primary school to the institutions of higher learning, life is literally a struggle for children in eSwatini, a tiny Kingdom situated in Southern Africa.

An independent investigation conducted by this Swaziland News uncovered that poverty, climate change, and the non-availability of basic infrastructure including bridges undermine the right to education for many eSwatini children particularly in the rural areas.

Swazis residing at Lufafa community, a rural area situated in the Northern parts of eSwatini are among the about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, their children are forced to cross the crocodile infested Mlumati River to school.

Speaking to this Swaziland News,  Ntombemhlophe Dlamini, the Chairperson of the School Committee at Lufafa Primary School confirmed that their children were forced to cross the dangerous crocodile infested river bare footed at seven (7) different points to access various schools that include Lufafa Primary and Sobokazane High School to name a few. 

“The situation is very bad, the children are forced to cross the river and risk being attacked  by crocodiles,they sometimes lose school books and shoes that get washed away when the river is flooding. Some children get injured due to slippery rocks and during heavy floods, they are forced to stay at home for about a week", she said.

Eswatini is ruled by King Mswati as an absolute Monarch, he is counted among the richest Monarchies in the world in a country where a majority of the citizens survive with less that one United States(US) Dollar($1.00) per day.

Reached for comments, Colani Maseko, the President of the Swaziland National Union of Students(SNUS) described the picture revealing the struggle of the children at Lufafa as very disturbing adding that the children were exposed to serious danger.

“When you look at these pictures, there are possibilities that many children get injured or attacked by crocodiles while crossing that river. Sometimes we are accused of using children in the struggle for our own political agendas, no one is using children, it’s the poverty situation that forces them to protest. The life of a child in this country is a struggle from primary school to the University and even after graduating, they will struggle again to secure jobs”, said the President of the Swaziland National Union of Students(SNUS).

Reached for comments, Bheki Gama, the Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education confirmed that the poverty situation was terrible in the Northern parts of eSwatini. 

“As a Ministry we are trying to assist, together with our partners where the situation is dire. I should hasten to admit that we are not able to assist all communities at the same time. But we are not resting because we are aware that the situation cannot be left as is,”said the Education PS. 

Recently, Government, through Micro-projects constructed a bridge at Zondwako that enables residents to cross the Great Usuthu river.

Before this publication exposed their plight, they were using a cable to cross the river.

Speaking to this publication, Sikelela Dlamini,the Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) said such situations remained a hindrance against the attainment of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), particularly goal number four (4) on Quality and Inclusive Education and Life adding that children exposed to such conditions were likely to drop out of school.

"As an organisation we call upon the Government to prioritise education in everyway possible. If the Government cannot be able to adequately provide the Nation with appropriate infrastructure such as roads and bridges, things which are of course basic, then it must step aside so that we can usher in a Government with the interests of the people,” said the SNAT Secretary General.