SNUS elects new
leadership during vibrant congress
Kenworthy News Media, March 6, 2013
“The congress was characterised by vigorous and vibrant
debate which saw the students of Swaziland declaring the year 2013 as a year of
action, turning each and every institution into a site of struggle for
democracy and quality education for all,” outgoing President of the Swaziland
National Union of Students (SNUS), Maxwell Dlamini, tells Africa Contact, writes
Kenworthy News Media.
Maxwell Dlamini congratulated his replacement as
President, Mnikelo Dlamini, and applauded the fact that several women were
elected into the leadership if SNUS for the first time in the history of the
organisation.
Mancoba Mabuza, a former UNISWA student, in turn praised
Maxwell’s leadership.
“Congratulations for leading SNUS into greater heights,
for your passion to serve the students and the youth, for leading the students
union even when you were in prison! You have done exceptionally well and you
were also able to mentor other leaders who have just succeeded yourself.”
During the congress, SNUS pledged to boycott the upcoming
parliamentary elections in Swaziland, says Maxwell Dlamini, and work other
pro-democracy organisations in a campaign to try and persuade the population at
large not to participate either.
According to the latest report from Freedom House, Swaziland’s population
effectively have no political rights and very limited civil liberties.
“Swaziland is not an electoral democracy. King Mswati III is an absolute
monarch with ultimate authority over the cabinet, legislature, and judiciary.”
As for student-related matters, Maxwell Dlamini says that
the congress pledged that SNUS will continue to campaign against unjust educational
policies and in solidarity with Swaziland’s youth and students. “We resolved to
offer solidarity to other oppressed people of the youth most especially the
youth and students who are subjected to the same harsh treatment of dictators.”
A Working Paper from the World Bank called The Education System in Swaziland, describes the
educational system in Swaziland’s “key weaknesses pertain to low access uneven
and inequitable quality, acute inequalities, resource inefficiency, poor
relevance and weak strategic direction and delivery capacity.”
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