ANOTHER CONSTITUTIONAL PROMISE DISREGARDED

UNCLAS MBABANE 000022


DEPT FOR AF/S (MHARRIS)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM WZ
SUBJECT: ANOTHER CONSTITUTIONAL PROMISE DISREGARDED


1. SUMMARY: On January 22 local media reported Minister of
Education and Training Wilson Ntshangase saying that his ministry
doesn't know when it will enact free primary education. The
constitution mandates free primary education in 2009. The Ministry
issued a statement saying a shortage of teachers, funds, and school
infrastructure is the reason free primary education will not be
realized in 2009. The constitution was approved by Parliament in
July 2005 and the GKOS has received record surplus income from
Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) recipients, Swaziland's main
source of income, for the past few years. END SUMMARY.


2. On January 19-20 the Council of Swaziland Churches, in
conjunction with Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, placed
statements in Swaziland's two newspapers calling for the
implementation of free primary school education, per the
constitutional requirement. The constitution mandates free primary
education to begin in 2009. On January 22 the Ministry of Education
and Training issued a statement saying a shortage of teachers,
funds, and school infrastructure is the reason free primary
education will not be realized in 2009. The Ministry reports it
doesn't know when it will enact free primary education, but is
working on finalizing an implementation plan. In an interview with
local media, Minister Ntshangase said free primary education will be
implemented "sooner or later," that the money meant for free
education had been spent on the orphan and vulnerable children fund,
and that civil society groups should not to engage in protest
actions. The Minister would not acknowledge that not providing free
primary education violated the constitution.


3. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance have known
since 2005 (Parliament passed the constitution in July 2005) that
primary education was supposed to become free in 2009, and despite
record high surpluses from SACU receipts, the GKOS apparently
purposely failed to prepare to implement free primary education.


4. COMMENT: The GKOS decision to once again ignore the
constitution is not surprising; neither is its poor budget
allocation and lack of preparation. Although the civil society
community here is weak, this particular campaign may get more
support from the public than most because the cost of school fees is
a great concern of Swazi citizens, many of whom are also supporting
the orphaned children of relatives who have died of HIV/AIDS. End
comment.


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