LIMKOKWING REDUCES MINISTER TO TEARS

In one of the most bizarre stories to come out of Swaziland’s troubled Limkokwing University, the  Minister of Education and Training Wilson Ntshangase publicly claimed that he cried in cabinet in order to get the prime minister to allow it to open in the kingdom.

‘I cried, literally, because I was fighting, fighting, fighting and working hard for the university to be established in the country. On that day, the prime minister said to me, “Ntshangase, don’t cry, we are going to help you,”’ he told the guests at a book launch at Limkokwing. 

Limkokwing is a private university based in Malaysia that has opened campuses in Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho on the African continent.  Controversy has dogged Limkokwing wherever it goes, because of the often controversial way it sets up in a country and the low standards of its courses and teaching staffs.

Ntshangase might delude himself that it was his tears that won the day for Limkokwing in Swaziland, but in fact it was King Mswati III, who made it happen. Plans to set up in Mbabane were going nowhere for years until the king stepped in.

In June 2011, it emerged that the university’s founder Tan Sri Dato Lim Kok Wing had a meeting with King Mswati and ‘persuaded’ him that Swaziland needed a new university – and Limkokwing should be it. He fooled the king into believing that low level courses in such subjects as Graphic Designing, TV & Film Production, Architectural Technology, Advertising, Creative Multimedia, Information Technology, Event Management, Business Information Technology, Journalism and Media, Public Relations and Business Management, would help Swaziland – a mainly agricultural society - to prosper.  

These courses are ‘associate degrees’, a term invented to disguise the fact that they are courses inferior to a bachelor degree, which are better known in other educational institutions as ‘diplomas’.

Limkokwing cannot escape the controversy about the quality of its courses: an organisation isn’t a ‘university’ just because it says it is.

The king passed on his wishes to government that Limkokwing should be supported and no matter how daft the proposition, it had to find the money to make it work. Before we knew it the Swazi Government had put up US$2 million a year it did not have for scholarships for up to 800 students.

We know it did not have the money because as soon as Limkokwing opened in Mbabane in May 2011, students began protesting that they were not getting their allowances and there were no text books and too few laptops. There were at least 20 protests, class boycotts and closures during the first year after it opened. Police used teargas and rubber bullets against protesting students. One student was shot in the leg. 

Limkokwing is in Swaziland illegally. You need an Act of Parliament to set up a university, but Limkokwing was allowed to start without parliament’s approval and there is no intention of creating an Act for it. This was confirmed by Ntshangase. 

Ackel Zwane, who writes for the Swazi Observer pointed out in May 2011, ‘The University of Swaziland [the kingdom’s only other university] is established by an Act of Parliament, which solely governs that institution and therefore, the same Act cannot be applied in the regulation of the new Limkokwing and others. There is something stinking under the carpet.

‘All those appearing to be promoting higher education in Swaziland have personal interests that cannot be disputed.’

Educational standards at Limkokwing are lower than those at other universities, including the University of Swaziland. It is so desperate to attract fee-paying students that it does not require them to have qualifications in the English language.

Ntshangase said there was ‘nothing suspicious’ about Limkokwing wanting lower qualifications for entry. But, Limkokwing makes its money from student fees: the more students it signs up, the more money it makes. 

A proper university offers high quality courses to high quality students using high quality staff.

Limkokwing falls down on all of these. The quality of students it takes is poor. In Swaziland it takes students with three credits in the International General Certificate of Secondary Education. This is lower than the five credits needed for entry to the University of Swaziland (UNISWA), the kingdom’s only state-run university.

No student at a Limkokwing University should fail, according to its owner Lim Kok Wing. He told a Malaysian newspaper, ‘It is my belief that no student should fail. If there are failures, then it is we who have failed them.’ Which means lecturers will pass even the dullest and laziest students to avoid being criticised by their own bosses.

Then there is the quality of the staff. Limkokwing advertises internationally for staff in its new campuses (including Swaziland). It states that applicants with bachelor degrees will be considered for posts. A proper university would expect staff to have Ph.D doctorate degrees.

In June 2012, after one year of operation Bandile Mkhonta, Head of Human Resource for Limkokwing in Mbabane, told local media that of 53 professional staff at the university; only one had a Ph.D.

The Swazi Observer reported Mkhonta saying Limkokwing had fewer Ph.Ds because it was a ‘non-conventional’ university whose curriculum was mainly based on practice than theory. 

For ‘non-conventional’ one should read ‘non-university’.

See also

KING FELL FOR BOGUS UNIVERSITY

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/06/king-fell-for-bogus-university.html

MORE CONTROVERSY FOR LIMKOKWING

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/02/more-controversy-for-limkokwing.html

GOVT BECOMING ISOLATED FROM KING

Swaziland’s Queen Mother the Indovukazi has turned up the heat in a dispute between King Mswati III and his government over sacked teachers.

Last week, during a ‘people’s parliament’ session, the King, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, ordered teachers who had been on strike for more than five weeks to return to work. He also told his government to talk to the teachers and solve the dispute over pay.

The teachers did as they were told, but, the Swazi Cabinet refused to reinstate more than 200 teachers who had been sacked for striking. The Minister of Education Wilson Ntshangase said the king had not meant that sacked teachers could have their jobs back.

This caused a crisis in the kingdom where nobody is allowed to dispute the king’s rulings and it put the government on a collision course with the monarch.

Now, the Indovukazi is reported in the Times of Swaziland saying that the king did mean the striking teachers should have their jobs back. 

The Indovukazi, who is considered by many observers to be the real power behind King Mswati’s throne, met a delegation from the teachers’ union, SNAT.

Timothy Mtetwa, the traditional Prime Minister, who speaks for the king, was at the meeting.

He later told the Times that the Indlovukazi said all teachers should return to class in accordance with the king’s order.

‘His Majesty said during Sibaya that all teachers, including the fired ones, should return to work. This is what the Queen Mother said she heard the king pronouncing during the People’s Parliament,’ Mtetwa said.

The President of SNAT, Sibongile Mazibuko, who was also at the meeting told the newspaper, ‘The Queen Mother cordially welcomed us. We were overwhelmed. We then reported to her that we were shocked that there were people who were ignoring His Majesty’s call that all teachers should return to work to end the impasse in schools.’

She added, ‘The Queen Mother was equally shocked that there were people defying the King’s pronouncement. Her Majesty said she did not know where those people were getting that mandate from. She promised she would warn those people to stop expelling teachers.’

Earlier in the week it was reported that Ntshangase could face a fine from a traditional court for defying the king.

See also

GOVERNMENT IGNORES KING’S RULING

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/08/government-ignores-kings-ruling.html

GOVERNMENT ‘IGNORES KING’S RULING’

Swaziland’s government could be on a collision course with King Mswati III over the sacking of striking teachers.

King Mswati pronounced last week that a national teachers’ pay strike that has crippled schools for more than five weeks should end; that teachers should go back to work and the government should enter into talks to end the dispute.

In Swaziland, where King Mswati is sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, his word is law. When he pronounces on something there is no further discussion, people are expected to just do as they are told.

The teachers union, SNAT, immediately told its members to go back to work and classes resumed on Monday (13 August 2012).

But, Education Secretary Wilson Ntshangase said that teachers who had been sacked by the government for striking would not be allowed to go back to work.

Traditional authorities, led by Timothy Velabo Mtetwa, who is known as the ‘traditional Prime Minister’, and who is said to speak for the king, rebuked the minister, and said no individual had the right to overturn anything promulgated by the king.

Mtetwa, told local media, ‘We cannot afford to have a Kingdom where citizens will act against the orders of the authorities.’ 

 

It was earlier suggested that Ntshangase might be brought before a traditional court where he could face a fine.

Then, Swazi Attorney General Majahenkhaba Dlamini said only Cabinet had the authority to reinstate the teachers. 

Yesterday, the Cabinet met and confirmed the sacked teachers would not be allowed back to work. This was despite an Industrial Court ruling earlier this month that the teachers were fired illegally.  

The Swazi Government is saying it listened to a recording of the king’s speech in which he told the teachers to go back to work and cannot find where he said the dismissed teachers could have their jobs back.

King Mswati is presently on an official trip to Sri Lanka and cannot be asked to confirm his position.

The government ministers, all appointed by the king, are taking a risk in second-guessing what the king really meant. It may all be semantics, because what is clear is that the king wanted the teachers’ dispute ended now. By not reinstating the sacked teachers, the government has gone against the king’s wishes.

 See also

‘THE SWAZILAND KING’S WORD IS LAW’

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-swaziland-kings-word-is-law.html

TEACHERS MARCH ON MINISTRY

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/08/teachers-march-on-ministry.html

GOVT SACKS TEACHERS’ STRIKE LEADER

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/08/govt-sacks-teachers-strike-leader.html

STRIKING SWAZILAND TEACHERS SACKED

Teachers in Swaziland are to march on the Ministry of Education tomorrow (3 August 2012) to demand the reinstatement of 110 teachers who were sacked by the government for taking part in a pay strike.

The Swazi Ministry of Education made good on its threat to sack teachers if they did not stop their five-week old strike and return to work.

Members of the Swaziland National association of Teachers (SNAT) are defying orders to return to work and the strike is continuing. They are seeking a 4.5 percent pay rise.

In the past month peacefully-protesting teachers have endured teargas, rubber bullets and baton charges from police and state forces in the kingdom ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

The government is now sending local chiefs and headmen into schools to spy on teachers. They are required to report names of teachers who are not working normally.

Wilson Ntshangase, the Minister of Education, told local media that so far 110 teachers have been fired for not teaching between Monday and Tuesday. The figure is expected to rise as information is collected about Wednesday. Ntshangase said a pool of newly-qualified teachers was ready to take over the classes of the sacked teachers.

See also

POLICE ON STREETS AS STRIKE GOES ON

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/07/police-on-streets-as-strike-goes-on.html

TROOPS ON STANDBY TO BREAK STRIKE

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/07/troops-standby-to-break-strikes.html

STRIKING TEACHERS ‘TO BE SACKED’

The Swaziland Government is threatening to sack all striking teachers unless they return to work.

Teachers have been on an indefinite strike for the past month. They have been joined by public servants and nurses.

Minister of Education and Training, Wilson Ntshangase, told the Swazi Parliament yesterday (18 July 2012), that any teacher who was absent from work for more than three days running with no valid reason could be lawfully sacked.

He said this law would be used against striking teachers if they did not return to work on or before 24 July.

Teachers are striking for a 4.5 percent pay increase. Their peaceful protests have been met with violence from state riot police in the kingdom ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

Ntshangase told parliament, ‘The striking teachers have become too volatile. It’s no longer about a 4.5 per cent salary adjustment, it’s about something else.’ Strikers have also been protesting about the way the government handles the economy, which is in freefall.

The Government has already announced it will stop salary payments to striking teachers from this week.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Lutfo Dlamini, told the House of Assembly that the strike was illegal.

See also

POLICE SEAL PARLIAMENT FROM PROTEST
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/07/police-seal-parliament-from-protest.html

STRIKING TEACHERS WILL BE ARRESTED

Swaziland’s Minister of Education said teachers who go on strike in the kingdom today (26 June 2012) will be arrested by police.

Wilson Ntshangase said the strike over a pay claim had been declared illegal and striking teachers were therefore breaking the law.

Swaziland is ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

Ntshangase told the Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati, there was a court order making the strike illegal and teachers engaging in the strike were breaking the law. He said it was the police’s duty to bring law-breakers to book and police would be deployed at all schools during the strike. 

He told the newspaper those found breaking the court order by striking would definitely be arrested.

 ‘We cannot stand aside and watch; hence will be deploying police to the schools. It is their job to enforce court orders in the country and they will surely arrest those teachers going against this,’ he said.

Ntshangase said that they could not arrest the teachers’ leadership as they needed evidence before doing that.

UNICEF AND SWAZI CHILD VIOLENCE

UNICEF

Statement

27 October 2011

SOURCE

Swaziland convenes first national dialogue on violence against children in schools

MATSAPHA, Swaziland, 27 October 2011 – “Away with teachers who abuse children, away!” chanted Wilson Ntshangase, Minister of Education and Training, at a national dialogue on violence against children in and around schools – a problem pervasive in the country.

The national dialogue, organized by the Ministry of Education and Training with support from the UNICEF and other partners, brought together teachers, parents, religious leaders, community representatives and government officials for the first time to address student safety and well-being.

Culture of silence

Nine-year-old Andile Kunene, a child representative at the event, illustrated the perils children face in order to be educated. Many “are assaulted, robbed or raped” on the long walk to and from school, he said. Once at school, attacks take place in latrines, empty classrooms and other isolated areas.

Yet child abuse, widely viewed as a personal matter, goes largely unreported in Swaziland. Victims are often discouraged from seeking help.

The national dialogue aims to break this culture of silence.

“Home and school are the two most common places where violence against children takes place,” said Reverend Absalom Dlamini, representing the religious community. “This is wrong, and it must come to an end!”

A community effort

Attendees at the dialogue proposed a variety of measures to end abuse and assist survivors of violence.

Mr. Ntshangase underlined in his keynote address that his ministry will take a hard line position on violence in schools. Teachers must report those who hurt children, he said.

Teachers agreed. “We will promote positive discipline instead of corporal punishment,” said teacher Mbokodvo Tsabedze. “Teachers who are found guilty of abusing learners should not be allowed to teach. It is not enough that they appear before the teaching service commission or transferred to other schools.”

Teachers also recommended hiring full-time guidance and counselling specialists to provide pyschosocial support to children who have been abused.

Child representatives at the event also pledged to fight abuse. They advocated for the use of technologies to protect themselves against cyber-based bullying and abuse. They also pledged to report abuse, bullying and violence.

Mr. Dlamini emphasized that ending violence against children requires the effort and vigilance of all community members, and pledged to work with religious leaders to ensure their participation. “We have the trust and influence of the people that we lead,” he said. “We should be driven by the moral responsibility entrusted upon us and ensure that mosques, churches and temples are safe places for children.”

“Violence against children is everybody’s business,” he said.

NO SCHOOL FEES, SO PUPILS WHIPPED

Children at a school in Swaziland are being whipped with up to 10 strokes of a stick, because their school fees have not been paid.

A majority of the pupils at Emtfonjeni High School are orphaned and depend on government to pay for their fees.

One parent told the Times of Swaziland, the kingdom’s only independent daily newspaper, ‘The pupils are merely owing the top-up fee as government paid the rest. We have indicated to the school authorities that we would pay at month-end. We did not know the children are being beaten up. The pupils said they were given 10 strokes each.’

School Principal Themba Shongwe confirmed to the newspaper that the pupils were being beaten up for coming to school without the fees.

‘We have been telling them over and over not to come to school without the money but they still come. We had no option but to give them punishment for not obeying the instruction to stay at home,’ the newspaper reports him saying.

When asked how true it was that the pupils were being given as many as 10 strokes he said, ‘If a pupil is told to stay at home but defies the instruction on the first day, you give that pupil a certain number of strokes. But if the same pupil comes to school again the following day, you have no choice but to increase the number of strokes.’

Shongwe said beating the pupils was also a means to make them put pressure on the parents to do something.

Wilson Ntshangase, the Swazi Minister of Education and Training, said the principal was wrong to punish the pupils because they are not responsible for paying their own school fees.

‘The parents are the ones responsible for paying school fees, so the teacher must not vent anger on the pupils because eventually they will start hating school,’ he told the newspaper.

‘The principal must stop beating up the pupils,’ he added.

This is not the first example of children being abused by their schools. There is a long list of human rights violations against children by their teachers and school principals. To read about some of them click here.

See also

CHILDREN CHAINED AND FLOGGED BARE

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/03/pupils-chained-and-flogged-bare.html

PROBE VICIOUS SCHOOL BEATINGS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/03/probe-vicious-school-beatings.html

SCHOOL FLOGGINGS OUT OF CONTROL

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/02/school-floggings-out-of-control.html

LIMKOKWING UNIVERSITY IS ILLEGAL

Limkokwing, the controversial private university due to open in Swaziland on Monday (23 May 2011), is in the kingdom illegally.

Wilson Ntshangase, Minister of Education and Training, has confirmed that this is true, but added (in effect), ‘who cares?’

In Swaziland an act of parliament needs to be passed to set up a university and this has not happened for Limkokwing, nor is there any intention that it will be done.

Ntshangase, told the Swazi Observer, the newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati III, that there was an agreement between the university and government that would enable it to operate in the kingdom even without the necessary law.

The newspaper reports the minister added that it was important for people who wanted to challenge the legality of the university to consider the fact that it was introduced in the kingdom to help Swazi children.

‘Are these people calling for the closure of the university suggesting the students should study out of the country or what? This university would help the Swazis as well because once we have an educated nation the country’s economy would improve,’ he said.

Despite (or maybe because of) the fact that the government has ignored the law, it is still committed to paying Limkokwing E16 million (US$2.1 million) a year of Swazi people’s money for scholarships.

Maxwell Dlamini, Under Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, confirmed to the newspaper that the government would support 800 students a year at the university.

Where exactly the money will come from remains unclear. Limkokwing had intended opening on 8 April 2011, but was unable to do so because money promised by the government had not been paid.

Yesterday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) confirmed that the Swaziland Government had been unable to stick to its plan to reduce public spending and raise taxes to get the kingdom out of its economic meltdown. The IMF called for more public funding cuts to be made immediately. It is not clear if these cuts would include the money intended for Limkokwing.

Limkokwing has a long history of controversy surrounding the quality of the courses it teaches in its campuses in Lesotho and Botswana. The Botswana Government decided to reduce the number of scholarships it gave the university when it was faced with its own financial problems.

See also

LIMKOKWING IS BAD FOR SWAZILAND

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/02/limkokwing-is-bad-for-swaziland.html