Africa-Press – Eswatini. More than 300 headteachers organised under the banner of the Swaziland Association of Schools Administrators (SASA) have taken a unanimous position to petition government on the introduction of the performance management system in schools.
The teachers resolved to ask their employer to remove the PMS, among a number of resolutions taken during their meeting over the weekend.
According to the headteachers, the introduction of the PMS impacts on their terms and conditions of service and therefore, it is not needed in schools, but what is needed is quality public service delivery first.
The school administrators took this resolution during a meeting held at the Swaziland Association of Teachers (SNAT) Centre on Friday.
Government has made it clear that there will be a performance management system across all its departments in a bid to improve service delivery.
According to the ministry of public service, the PMS will be rolled out in phases.
The PMS was one of the hotly debated issues during the meeting, along with other challenges faced by the headteachers in schools, such as shortage of teachers.
SNAT Secretary General (SG) Lot Vilakati said the meeting, which was led by the national executive committee (NEC) and SASA, which is a committee of head teachers, was a huge success.
He said the meeting was attended by over 300 headteachers who affiliate under SASA.
He confirmed that the issue of the PMS was well explained to the headteachers and its implications towards their terms and conditions of service.
Vilakati stated that headteachers unanimously agreed that the PMS was not needed in schools.
“The headteachers resolved that the PMS should go back to the joint negotiation forum (JNF) for negotiations, as it touches on their terms and conditions of service,” he said.
He added that the headteachers also raised concerns about the shortage of teachers in schools as well as the revival of posts per school.
Among the resolutions taken during the meeting was the decision to have the chairperson of SASA represent primary school headteachers at the Examinations Council of Eswatini (ECESWA).
The SNAT secretary general said headteachers also resolved to deliver a petition to government, demanding the employment of 4 000 permanent teachers, revival of school posts in all schools, delivery of books on time, stoppage of the implementation of PMS in schools and the reinstatement of the SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini.
He said headteachers would also be demanding that ECESWA should stop releasing results before January 4, as well as the representation of SASA chairperson in ECESWA Board.
However, Principal Secertary (PS) in the Ministry of Education and Training Bhekithemba Gama said by advocating to stop the PMS in schools, the headteachers were misguided.
This, he said, was because the PMS was a tool that was launched merely for the improvement of service delivery within government ministries and departments.
He said, therefore, by stating that they did not want of PMS in schools, it meant that the headteachers were implying that they did not want the ministry of education to exist.
“By mere existence of the ministry of education and training, it suffices to say the PMS in the ministry will always exists,” he said.
ECESWA Communications Officer Hlengiwe Ndlovu, when reached for comment, kindly requested this reporter to send her a questionnaire.
She promised to respond to the questionnaire today.
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