Education minister’s complicated task

FORMER Minister of Education and Training Lady Mabuza’s directive in 2021, for head teachers to suspend payment of school fees for the previous year, pleased many people.

Let us, for a moment, forget that she called a press conference to make this directive only after she had been compelled by Parliament.

This was after a motion moved by Matsanjeni North Member of Parliament (MP) Phila Buthelezi (now also minister), who was seconded by Strydom Mpanza of Shiselweni II.

The motion by the two MPs wanted school fees for classes that never sat for examinations in 2020, as a result of COVID-19 challenges, to be suspended.

Many head teachers were demanding payment of full fees for the chaotic year that saw pupils and students in colleges spending more time at home than in class.

The ministry had initially insisted that all outstanding fees for the year 2020 should be paid in full, even though schools did not have to use the same amount of money they spend when learners are in class. The motion by the two MPs wanted head teachers who had already collected such fees to refund the affected parents.

After the former minister’s directive, confusion reigned as some head teachers claimed that parents had already agreed to pay fees for 2020 in full.

In other cases, parents approached head teachers and demanded refunds.

Head teachers, supported by school committees, insisted that even though there were no lessons for the better part of that year, schools still had bills to pay.

They listed electricity and security among those bills.

CONFUSION

It is now history that when this confusion died down, parents were the only losers, as most of them still had to pay fees for 2020 in 2021, before they could start paying for the latter year, which began in March 2021 because of the same COVID-19 associated reasons.

The issue of refunds died a natural death, much like the matter of alleged corruption in the 2023 election of senators. That one is dead and almost buried now.

Life goes on in Eswatini. My point, however, is that under different circumstances and in a different era, incumbent Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo seems to be dealing with a similarly complicated matter.

That is the issue of school fees deposits for children whose parents cannot afford to pay.

Hardly three weeks ago, a schoolgirl committed suicide because her school demanded the deposit for the year, yet her guardian did not have that amount readily available.

Even though emaSwati are aware that a majority of citizens live below the poverty line, this was still shocking news.

The office of the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) sprang into action after this tragedy, calling on all learners who were still at home because of unpaid school fees deposits to register with Social Welfare offices in the four regions.

The notice was directed at orphaned and vulnerable children in high school, including those who were supposed to be starting out in Form I.

As we speak, more than 4 000 destitute children have registered with their respective Social Welfare offices, indicating that they will need the financial assistance.

On Wednesday, it was revealed that government had set aside at least E20 million to cater for this emergency situation.

Just like in 2020/2021, the school fees deposits are being demanded by head teachers – and nobody can blame them. They need the money to run the schools they are in charge of.

They need cash to pay support staff like secretaries, cooks and security guards.

ASSISTANCE

That more than 4 000 learners needed this kind of assistance in high school alone, underscores the fact that education in Eswatini is costly.

Just as Minister Nxumalo said when he announced that E20 million had been set aside, this places the country in a position where it might not meet the United Nations’ goals on children’s right to access education.

If you were wondering, the minister clarified that the E20 million was only for this academic year. This means there is no system in place yet, to ensure that children from poor households do not face the same dilemma next year or in future. One wonders how Parliament will view this and what suggestions and solutions parliamentarians will come up with.

This is one of the things they were elected to do; that is, driving policy and legislation that will improve the lives of emaSwati.

That said, I remembered former Minister Lady Mabuza when Nxumalo pleaded with head teachers to allow pupils they had kicked out, back in class because government had committed to paying the deposits on their behalf.

I in my mind, I said, “Here we go again.”

The minister acknowledged that the E1 950 government paid for OVCs in schools was not enough, but said the ministry did not condone head teachers who demand school fees deposits from destitute children.

Indeed, this amount is a bit on the low side, taking into account the fact that even the cheapest school charges about E4 000 per year.

Referring to head teachers who might just ignore his plea, just as they did with the former minister, Nxumalo said school administrators reported to the ministry and if the ministry gave an instruction or announced a policy, they were not expected to do something contrary.

CHALLENGE

It will be interesting to watch how head teachers will react to this plea from the ministry. If history is anything to go by, they will wait for the money before accepting the affected pupils back. That is the challenge Minister Nxumalo is facing and the nation is watching to see how he will handle it. Otherwise, we might see a repeat of 2023 when 6 718 pupils dropped out of school for various reasons, including bullying and marriage. Even though the country has a free primary education programme, 182 learners dropped out because their parents could not afford the fees. At least 394 dropped out of high school for the same reason. This is not only painful to the affected children and their parents, but it is also embarrassing for the country in general.