ENJABULWENI: Enjabulweni Primary School parents held a ‘hot’ meeting on Friday and resolved to march to the Ministry of Education to demand the employment of teachers.
Reached for comments,Mandla Mlotsa the School Committee Chairperson confirmed the meeting but asked to comment after the protest march on Tuesday.
“It’s hard to comment now because we are going there on Tuesday, thereafter I can comment,”he said.
It has been disclosed that the parents resolved to march to the Regional Education Offices(REO) in the Lubombo region after it transpired that the school has been struggling with the shortage of teachers for a long time now.
Speaking to this Swaziland News, Simangele Mtsetfwa,the Enjabulweni Principal said the parents approached her and asked for solutions regarding the crisis.
“It’s true and I am in support of the parents resolution to approach the REO offices, maybe they will come back with the teachers because I am now getting tired. We are facing a shortage of teachers here and I have been engaging the REO for a long time, demanding teachers. It is now upon the parents to stand-up for the rights of their children”, said the Principal.
A questionnaire was sent to Education Minister Lady-Howard Mabuza, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments, Sikelela Dlamini, the Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers(SNAT) said as a union, they fully supported the parents who resolved to march to the REO offices to demand the employment of teachers.
“We are in full support of the parents who resolved to march to the REO offices and demand the employment of teachers. What is happening is affecting the education system,even us as a union, we are losing members. We don’t understand why Government is refusing to employ teachers and today were engaged the Ministry of Public Service over this matter, we want teachers to be employed permanently,” said the SNAT Secretary General.
Education Minister Lady-Howard Mabuza.