Minister keeps her word

MANZINI – While participants in a meeting were unhappy to see her leave, Minister of Education and Training Lady Mabuza kept her word and returned to join stakeholders in the education sector.

The Ministry of Education and Training Portfolio Committee was unhappy after Minister Mabuza abruptly left the meeting wherein they were discussing the Council of Educators Bill of 2019.

Mabuza had made remarks opening the meeting in the morning and thereafter left as she had another commitment. However, this did not sit well with the legislators.

Methula Constituency MP Derrick Masuku said the reason legislators had gathered at The George Hotel was to assist the minister. He wondered who they would engage with if she was not around.

Also, the legislators proposed that the meeting be abandoned as the minister and the Principal Secretary (PS), Bertram Stewart, were not present. Sandleni Constituency MP, who is also the Chairperson of the portfolio committee, Noah Gama, also noted that the PS was of late not attending their meetings which he said was a great concern.

Meeting

The Director in the ministry, Dr Ntombenhle Dlamini, explained that she was representing the PS while the minister was anticipating returning to the meeting within two hours.

The legislators wanted the minister present because they had posed questions to the Chairperson of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), Dr Amos Mahlalela, and he had referred them to the ministry.

The questions sought to ascertain clarity on what was retaining teachers on perpetual contracts, what delayed the issuance of a waiver to recruit teachers and the ratio of teacher to pupils in primary and high schools.

In the absence of the minister, Dr Dlamini responded to the questions stating that the ratio of teacher to pupil in primary was 1:40, while in high school was 1:30.

Upon return, the minister said the issue of contracts was a thorny issue and that the ministry was in the process of engaging other stakeholders to sort the issue.

She expressed hope that all would be well. After learning that the legislators had decided to move a motion in Parliament to deal with this, Mabuza was hopeful that the legislators knew which ministry to direct it to as her ministry was not the only affected.