In a telephone interview with one receptionist at Khumalo primary who highlighted that, ‘We have been told to suspend Thursday and Friday lessons by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in unclear circumstances.’2 Such reverberations of temporary school closure was received with varied reactions by both parents and civic organizations in the region who criticised the government for its unprecedented abuse of power that violates the right to education for children in the region.
While parents were more concerned with the violation of the right to education of their children, civic organisations in the region questioned the legitimacy and constitutional grounding of the 21st Movement celebration for it to affect the day to day learner ship environment of students. As the wrangle heightened in social media platforms with some quarters attacking the government stance yet others championing the movement celebrations, Hon. Lazarus Dokora was swift in dismissing the temporary school closure as hoax and gross fabrication bent on demonizing the celebration.3 The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education equally concurred with the views of the minister but however confirmed that a chosen number of schools would accommodate visitors envisioned to attend the 21st Movement celebrations.