MBABANE:Brian Sabelwesihle Dlamini,the Swazi National High School Headteacher has been accused of refusing to accept reasonable deposits from parents and sending children back home to come back with the full amount.
Speaking to this Swaziland News this week, a grandmother to one of the children said,the Headteacher refused to accept six thousand Rands(R6,000.00) deposit a few days before the opening of the schools.
“I am unemployed but trying to earn a living while paying school fees for my grandchildren because their parents died. The Headteacher refused to accept R6000 as a deposit, do you know how difficult it is to have R6000 in this country, utsi ufuna wonkhe lo-R9000”, said the grandmother to the Swazi National High child.
Another complaint was received from Zandondo High School where the Headteacher is alleged to have expelled children, the children were allegedly told to come back with school fees.
Responding to this Swaziland News, Mduduzi Masilela, the Secretary General(SG) of the Eswatini Principals Association(EPA) said, it was not true that Headteachers demand full payment of school fees amid the current financial challenges affecting emaSwati.
“I have consulted with some of the Headteachers and one of them clarified that, it’s not true that he demanded the full payment from parents.He said a decision was taken during a meeting with parents that a 50% full deposit will be accepted and some parents wanted to negotiate even the deposit. The information we have suggests that, the Headteacher was previously lenient accepting even monies less than the deposit and the School Committee warned him that he will destroy the school by doing so, parents must pay the deposit in full and then the balance before the end of the year, those parents are owing school fees for last year. Maybe, I can add because I’m also in the field as a Headteacher, we fully understand the financial situation affecting parents and there’s no Headteacher who can demand a full payment, we take deposits”, said the Secretary General of the Eswatini Principals Association(EPA) when speaking to editor Zweli Martin Dlamini.
A questionnaire was sent to Bheki Gama, the Principal Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Education, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Eswatini has about 70% of the population living below the poverty line,some citizens are working in the textile, construction,forestry and hospitality industry were the salaries are as a low as one thousand five hundred Rands(R1500) per-month, some civil servants are also struggling financially.
Swazi National High entrance.