BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE – Ka-Boyce High School pupils were given a glimpse of the wider responsibility that comes with leadership when Mbabane East Member of Parliament (MP) Welcome Dlamini revealed that his parliamentary duties extend beyond Eswatini to the African continent.
Dlamini, speaking at his former school’s Speech and Prize Giving Day and Farewell Function on Friday, September 25, 2026, told pupils and teachers that he was not only their constituency MP but also a member of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), where he serves as Chairperson of the Permanent Committee on Education, Culture, Tourism and Human Resource.
The MP said the position placed a significant responsibility on his shoulders to safeguard the integrity of education across Africa.
His message offered the Ka-Boyce pupils an inspirational reminder that education and leadership responsibilities could extend far beyond the boundaries of their school, constituency or country.
Dlamini encouraged the pupils to understand that excellence was not confined to academic awards, but was also reflected in character, persistence and the determination to continue improving.
“Today we celebrate those who have thrived, the prize winners, the hard workers, the quiet achievers, and every learner who has given their best,” Dlamini said.
He congratulated the prize winners, urging them to wear their recognition with humility and use it as motivation to aim even higher.
To pupils who did not receive awards, Dlamini stressed that certificates were not the only measure of excellence.
“It is measured by character, by persistence, and by the courage to keep improving. The true prize is the person you are becoming,” he said.
The MP’s connection to Ka-Boyce High School made his message particularly significant, as he revealed that he had started his primary education at the school, completing Grade One and continuing through Grade Five there.
Returning to the institution where his educational journey began, Dlamini said, was a profound and emotional experience.
He paid tribute to the teachers and the school environment that had helped shape him, saying the lessons learned within its classrooms and corridors continued to influence former pupils long after they had left the school.
“As a former student of this school, I know the classrooms, I know the corridors, the discipline, the laughter, and the challenges that form part of the Ka-Boyce experience,” he said.
“The teachers who invested in us, the values they instilled, and the friendships forged here remain with us long after we leave this gate.”
Dlamini also used the occasion to honour former headteacher Steven Shabangu, who was being farewelled after reaching retirement age.
On behalf of former pupils and the Mbabane East community, the MP thanked Shabangu for his years of service and leadership at Ka-Boyce High School.
He described Shabangu’s contribution as one that had left a lasting mark on the institution and the lives of learners who passed through its gates during his tenure.
Dlamini said Shabangu had served the school with dedication and integrity, guided learners, supported teachers and carried the responsibilities of leadership with dignity.
As Shabangu retired, Dlamini wished him rest, fulfilment and the satisfaction of a job well done.
The MP also welcomed the school’s new principal, Welcome Mhlanga, congratulating him on his appointment to lead an institution with a proud history and high expectations.
Dlamini said the leadership baton had now been passed to Mhlanga, together with the trust of parents, teachers, learners and the wider community.
“As a former student of this school, and as an MP for this area, I assure you of my support,” he said.
“May God grant you strength, clarity, and success as you guide this institution into the next chapter of its journey.”
Dlamini’s address also carried a message for pupils completing their final year, whom he urged to view their departure from Ka-Boyce not as an ending but as the beginning of another stage of their lives.
He reminded them that the world beyond the school gates would present new opportunities and responsibilities.
The MP’s return to his former school therefore combined personal reflection, recognition of academic achievement, appreciation of a retiring school leader and a broader message about the role education plays in shaping future leaders.
For the Ka-Boyce pupils, his presence demonstrated how the foundation laid at school can eventually translate into responsibilities reaching from a local constituency to the wider African continent.
#KaBoyceHighSchool #WelcomeDlamini #MbabaneEast #PanAfricanParliament #Education #AfricanEducation #Leadership #Excellence #Eswatini #YouthDevelopment
