As public schools opened yesterday marking the start of 2026 academic calendar, Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo says there is no place for same sex relationships in schools.
Nxumalo made the remarks during a series of school visits around Mbabane, where he addressed learners, teachers and school administrators on issues of discipline, values and academic focus.
He said schools were established to educate and mould learners for the future, and not to accommodate relationships that, in his view, distracted learners from their studies.
The minister described homosexual relationships as unacceptable within the school environment, stating that they were contrary to religious beliefs and cultural traditions.
He further claimed that such relationships negatively affected discipline and learning, adding that they posed a threat to what he referred to as the moral development of learners.
According to Nxumalo, teachers and school authorities had a responsibility to remain observant and ensure that school rules were upheld at all times. He stressed that educators should act decisively whenever they became aware of behaviour that went against school regulations and ministry expectations.
“I will not tolerate any issues that come with homosexual relationships in our schools,” Nxumalo said.
The minister noted that if he received reports of learners engaging in such behaviour, he would personally visit the affected schools and instruct headteachers to expel those involved.
He further argued that homosexuality was not natural and was not permitted within local traditions, maintaining that only heterosexual relationships were recognised.
Nxumalo also dismissed discussions around other gender identities, describing them as foreign and unacceptable, and urged schools to remain firm in enforcing discipline.
The minister also spoke strongly against all forms of romantic relationships among learners on school premises.
He said schools were places of learning and that relationships of any kind distracted learners from their primary purpose of education.
Nxumalo noted that while teachers often encouraged positive discipline, this should not be mistaken for tolerance of behaviour that violated school rules. He maintained that discipline should be firm and clear, particularly on matters affecting academic performance and learner conduct.
ALSO READ: SNAT gives reasons schools not ready to open
He called on parents to work closely with schools in guiding and supporting learners, saying discipline was a shared responsibility between educators and families.
According to the minister, strong collaboration between schools and parents would ensure that learners remained focused on their studies and avoided behaviour that could jeopardise their education.
Nxumalo’s remarks have sparked debate among education stakeholders, with some welcoming his emphasis on discipline and academic focus, while others raised concerns about the implications of expelling learners.
However, the minister insisted that his priority was to protect the learning environment and ensure that schools remained spaces dedicated to education and character building.
He added that the ministry would continue monitoring schools closely and would not hesitate to intervene where rules were contravened.
