Minister Owen Nxumalo insists his decision to privatise Baha’i Schools is final, sparking a dispute with PS Mnisi over legality and authority.
Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo has reaffirmed his decision to privatise the Baha’i Schools, declaring that his word on the matter is final.
This comes after Principal Secretary (PS) Naniki Mnisi publicly dismissed the move as “null and void,” sparking a high-level dispute within the ministry.
The escalating controversy prompted both officials to appear before Liqoqo, the King’s Advisory Council, where they presented their respective positions. While neither Liqoqo Chairman Paul Dlamini nor PS Mnisi disclosed the details of the meeting, sources claimed that the agenda focused on the ongoing impasse surrounding the schools’ privatisation.
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At the heart of the dispute is a letter dated August 8, issued by Minister Nxumalo to the Baha’i Schools grantee and the Baha’i National Spiritual Assembly of Eswatini. The letter approved the board of directors’ application to privatise the Baha’i Pre-Primary, Primary and High Schools.
Under the new arrangement, the board would assume full control over recruitment, employment, and compensation of teachers, as well as direct oversight of school operations, finances, and management. The schools would also resume their classification as international institutions, maintaining standards and curricula in line with that status.
The minister’s letter further stated that 22 teachers currently employed by government through the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) would either be absorbed into mainstream government service or transferred, while the board would recruit and compensate its own educators—subject to ministry regulation and vetting.
Nxumalo also indicated that the ministry would develop interim guidelines to govern the transition to private international status, which the Baha’i Schools would be expected to follow.
However, the PS has challenged the legality of the minister’s decision, citing the Education (Establishment and Registration of Private Educational Institutions) Regulations Notice of 2009.
According to Mnisi, the regulations vest authority over decisions related to schools, including government-aided institutions, with the principal secretary, not the minister. She argued that the minister’s letter was invalid and contradicted her own communication dated August 1, which stated that the schools’ government-aided status remained unchanged pending further consultation.
Mnisi also revealed that her letter had not reached the intended recipients before the minister’s approval was circulated. She maintained that the privatisation process lacked legal grounding and proper procedural alignment, especially given that this was the first instance of a government-aided school applying for privatisation.
Minister Nxumalo, in response, dismissed Mnisi’s objections, asserting that the decision was political and had undergone extensive consultation, including Cabinet review.
“My word is final on the privatisation of the Baha’i matter,” he stated, adding that the issue falls outside the purview of the PS.
He also confirmed that Liqoqo had been briefed and that government’s position enjoys broad support. Nxumalo condemned Mnisi’s public challenge, saying it risked confusing parents and undermining the ministry’s credibility. He reported her to Secretary to Cabinet Victor Nxumalo, urging that she be advised against publicly opposing ministerial decisions.
“It’s not good at all for the image of the ministry for the PS to question me in such a manner,” he said.
The Baha’i Schools board submitted its application for privatisation last year, following concerns raised by the ministry over the schools’ financial management. Specifically, officials criticised the use of a single account for kindergarten, primary, and high school divisions, deeming it unprocedural and obstructive to auditing processes.
The board argued that privatisation would enable better oversight and improved educational outcomes.
Despite the minister’s approval, the controversy has left many parents and teachers uncertain, particularly as government-employed teachers remain on staff at the schools. The Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) has called for clarity and formal notification regarding any transfers or absorptions into government service.
Meanwhile, Baha’i Schools Grantee Thoko Ngubeni confirmed that both the National Spiritual Assembly and the schools’ board of directors had received the minister’s letter and were still reviewing its implications.
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