BY MBONO MDLULI
MANZINI – It is good that SiSwati teaching and learning in public schools is improving, but it is concerning that private schools in this regard seem to be left behind.
This was said by Imisebe Publishing and Printing Company Managing Director (MD) Hlobisile Stromvig. She said this last week Friday (November 15, 2024) when her company was establishing a relationship with SiSwati teachers in private schools in the country. The event (which was called the Private Schools SiSwati Titles Exhibition) took place at Imisebe offices in Manzini.
During the event, many different books that were written in SiSwati were displayed for the teachers to see. One of them was the SiSwati dictionary, known as Umphandza. She stated that this book was going to be helpful in helping learners lean SiSwati. This dictionary comes in two categories. One is made for primary school learners and it comes with pictures and other illustration. The other one is made for high school learners and it has more words, more than the illustrations. However, anyone can use any of the dictionaries, there are no restrictions.
Stromvig told the teachers that what they wanted was to form a partnership with the teachers, so that the SiSwati language could be taught in the private schools, where the teachers worked. She also understood that children nowadays found it difficult to learn the local language, as they were influenced by the English language. During the event, teachers were also given a chance to share their experiences in teaching the language.
Nqobile Masika from Inkhanyeti School shared that as much as she was teaching in high school, she made use of SiSwati books, such as Lifa, Ingungu, Sancoti and Imbasha. These are books that are normally used by primary school learners from Grade One to Grade Four, respectively. She revealed that she used such books to teach learners from other countries, such as Mozambique, Ethiopia, Somalia, Pakistan, among other countries.
Masika said such learners came to her school not knowing even a single word in SiSwati, but they had to be taught the language in the first grade of high school. That was where such books helped her in navigating through such challenging circumstances. It further transpired during the event that next year, learners from private schools will be competing in a spelling competition, where they will win some prizes, courtesy of Imisebe Printing and Publishing Company. Further details on the competition will be communicated to the teachers in due course.
