ABOUT two weeks ago, I was over the moon about Sanelisiwe Mphaphu (18) who outran thousands of aspiring army recruits under the Kukhanyeni Inkhundla in her quest to be a member of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF).
I was so excited that I even posted her on my WhatsApp status, needless to say there were many differing opinions about the teenager entering the race.
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A majority of some people with access to my whatsapp status disagreed with me and said the pupil should instead focus on school and it just went to show that most pupils did not take the country’s education seriously and they were therefore looking for other avenues in order to pursue their careers seeing as the rate of employment in the country was very low.
However, I would like to differ in this regard. I grew up in an era where we were told to finish school, go to university and get a job.
Even then these were the available subjects, teaching, nursing, law, accountant and it was a bit far- fetched, some wanted to be doctors. However, we were told that in order to be a doctor, you needed to study science and thereafter another additional six to seven years.
It just sounded tedious so there we all applied to be lawyers, study social sciences and law and behold if you applied to study Humanities because teachers were just looked down upon then. To be quite honest, I would have made a brilliant teacher although God forgive me, I do shout.
So you can imagine while we all had the hype of being UNISWA (now UNESWA) students and back then the allowances were to die for although I was always asking for money from my mother.
Anyway, I stray. I wanted to say imagine our reaction when we heard that our good friend Gciniwe Fakudze was studying Town Planning in Johannesburg.
We had no idea what that was, but look at her now. In other countries such as the United States of America, I do not know if I watch too much TV, but the jobs of firefighters, soldiers and police are respected.
They are always thanked for their service particularly soldiers and firefighters, but in Eswatini we look down upon such careers. Till recently, I did not even know how one qualified to join the police or army. I simply thought they were jobs for people who did not finish school and that was it.
Recently, I met a young man who asked me what qualifications he needed in order to be a game ranger and as luck would have it I had absolutely no idea except to tell him to try contacting Big Game Parks.
It is also the same with jobs such as waitresses and chefs. We do not take some people’s jobs seriously and we are quick to just say the food was horrible or the service was just not up to standards.
When we have had a good meal, we do not bother to send compliment to the chef and we scramble around our purses when we have to tip our waitrons.
I am not saying some of the aspiring recruits are not taking the easy way out by trying their luck, but when one listens to their stories one can tell that they have lived lives of strife.
I would however, encourage most pupils to at least know the basics of being able to read and write.
We must all be able to write our names and at least count our money.
I do not know what the situation will be like once government through the ministry of education and training introduces the competency- based education. This new programme does not encourage pupils to be allowed to repeat a class. If you are competent in singing then you will happily be moved to the next grade whether you can read or write at least the basics of stringing up a sentence.
There is a whole debate about whether pupils should be allowed to participate in the army recruitment exercise. I mean why not because the rules are simple in that one should be between the ages of 18 and 35, have a valid ID and vetted in their chiefdom including being physically fit and that’s it.
It is the same when joining to be a member of Parliament. You must be above 18, ensure you have no criminal record and that your taxes are paid up and just like that one becomes an honourable member. All in all, do allow the school going pupils to join the army, they will be educated along the way as we have seen hundreds of graduates from the uniformed forces earning their stripes.
Do not forget to be kind!
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