Africa-Press – Eswatini. Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training Bheki Gama revealed that three pupils at the troublesome Hosea school are known to be leading protests. In a wide-ranging interview, Gama has called for parents of the pupils to talk sense to ‘their children’ for the good of the future of the country.
The PS said the country’s future generation would find itself relying on colonial masters because the youth does not want to learn. Gama was speaking during the Eswatini Broadcasting and Information Services (EBIS) breakfast show ‘Letishisako’ yesterday morning, responding to the flare up of protests once more in some schools as well as in tertiary institutions. His view is that the waves of protests are putting the future of the nation at stake. The principal secretary said learners are missing out a lot in their studies.
Already, Gama said for the past two years lessons were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic while the civil unrests added to the existing problems. “It is sad to see pupils wasting the little time they have to go back to class and use it for protesting,” he said.
Further, the PS spoke strongly about the protests in Hosea schools which he said have nothing to do with the ministry of education. “What is happening at Hosea is worrisome. Already there are three pupils known to be ringleaders of the protest and their parents need to call them to order them,” he said.
He said the future that the learners are demanding should find educated people. He asked who would lead the country if the leaders of tomorrow are out of school and busy protesting. Repercussion “If the future generation is out of school instead of getting all the education and skills, colonial masters will come back and rule the country’s next generation,” he said. Gama said it was important that adults think beyond the situation and guide children to the light by telling them the truth about the repercussion of being uneducated.
He pleaded with learners to utilise the opportunities and the time they have at their hands by going back to class and support each other. “We are looking at regional education officers to commission guidance officers who will provide psychosocial support to the children and provide counselling for, troubled children,” he said.
Gama cited several issues that may have caused the protests among them examination fears, thus those learners end up disrupting classes in order to delay the writing of examinations. He further added that the recent protests have created a culture of violence. “People no longer believe that it is ok to disagree,” he said. “Once a person disagrees with one’s point of view it automatically turns them to enemies and they become violent,” he added, saying people were resorting to violence instead.
“This is not the way to go,” Gama said, adding that human beings are bound to disagree but that does not mean they should be enemies. He added that in order to deal with issues related to school going children that were brought by COVID-19 and the recent unrest which have traumatised a lot of children, the ministry has officers who provide psychological support to learners who need it.
“We are working with UNICEF on helping pupils as well as teachers,” he said. This is because not only children are affected by the situation but teachers as well, therefore, they are also assisted with the help they need.
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