Mbabane: Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) has raised their concerned about the Minister of Education and Training Lady Howard Mabuza’s attitude towards teachers.
In a statement issued by SNAT Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini on Tuesday, the organization expressed their disappointment and demotivation following the Education Minister’s comment she made in relation to teachers with underlying diseases and those who are nearing retirement. Mabuza was quoted on one of the local newspapers saying ‘Ageing, sickly teachers to be redeployed’. The teacher’s union found the adjectives (ageing and sickly) derogatory and inhumane.
On the statement, Dlamini said the Minister is supposed to know the plight of educators since she is an educator as well. Dlamini said the Minister is not entitled to power to change or review terms and conditions of service unilaterally. He added that the suggested new role of teachers nearing retirement and those with medical conditions is a mockery not only to the teaching profession but also to the teachers as human beings as well. Dlamini said teaching is a profession not just a mere occupation hence the aforementioned teachers cannot be tossed around and the new tasks suggested by the Minister who also happens to be the Mafutseni Member of Parliament. Dlamini said Mabuza should have consulted with the Educators’ association.
SNAT has recapped that together with other Public Sector Associations (PSAs), suggested that those civil servants nearing retirement and those with underlying medical conditions should be allowed to retire early with full benefits. This proposal was tabled at the Joint Negotiations Forum (JNF), and it core mandate was to protect public sector workers who have become a high-risk population regarding contracting COVID-19 pandemic. According to SNAT, the Government appreciated the idea, but did not give it careful thought, hence it is startling if the Education Minister comes out with an idea of redeploying workers and yet that was never suggested in the meeting.
SNAT said will monitor the Education Minister and Principal Secretary Bertram Stewart’s conduct behavior towards teachers since it is SNAT‘s paramount duty. PS Bertram Stewart was caught in fire with the organization when he made an insensitive comment regarding the association’s member by the name of Boy Dlamini, who died of COVID-19 in July. Dlamini was a teacher from Mdzimba High School. Stewart said Dlamini could not be said he died of COVID-19 as he was sick for very long time and that comment did not sit well with SNAT.
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