Understanding the 2021 eSwatini school protests: theoretical reflections of an educator

ABSTRACT

During September and October 2021, eSwatini experienced school demonstrations unprecedented in the country's history. Drawing on a socio-emotional development framework and frustration-aggression theory, the article presents an educator's theoretically informed reflections on these events. It explores the possibility that the demonstrations are not simply a reflection of the prevalent political riots presently sweeping the country. Rather, they further expose the fundamental deficiencies in the country's political and education system. Utilising personal observations, contemporary news reports and an extensive literature review, the article explores the possibility that the violence seen in schools can be both a communicative strategy and an expression of negative emotions arising from both direct and indirect educational consequences of the pandemic, and further driven by the prevailing political system and the government's failure to meet students' needs. Building on this, the article suggests strategies that educators and policymakers could employ to address students' socio-emotional needs, thereby averting future emotional eruptions and violent behaviours.

KEYWORDS:

• Dialogue
• emotions
• schools
• violence
• COVID-19
• eSwatini

Acknowledgements

I wish to acknowledge my mentor Professor Pholoho Morojele’s support, guidance and critical insights, which led to the conceptualisation of this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 2016 estimate from World Bank DataBank, available online at https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.UMIC?locations=SZ – accessed on 12 October 2022.

2 ‘EmaSwati’ is now common usage, standing for ‘people of eSwatini’.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ncamsile Daphne Motsa

Ncamsile Daphne Motsa, a former rural school teacher in Eswatini, currently is a postdoctoral scholar at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. She is an astute critical educational sociologist and researcher with her research interests and publications on social justice, gender, child vulnerability and experiences of disadvantaged students in schooling contexts.