Kudakwashe Nyamuzinga
The just
ended Grade seven examinations started on a chaotic note following new
regulations from the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) which caused
logistical problems in the transportation of examination materials, it has been
learnt.
ended Grade seven examinations started on a chaotic note following new
regulations from the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) which caused
logistical problems in the transportation of examination materials, it has been
learnt.
Zimbabwe
Teachers Association (Zimta) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sifiso Ndlovu said
in some places, pupils started writing as late as noon.
Teachers Association (Zimta) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sifiso Ndlovu said
in some places, pupils started writing as late as noon.
“In some
schools, due to logistical and transport challenges, exams started as late as
12 pm, a poor practice that Zimbabwe had never experienced before. In my 38
years of service this was the first of its kind and whoever is responsible at
Zimsec must be answerable to this kind of arrangement,” said Ndlovu.
schools, due to logistical and transport challenges, exams started as late as
12 pm, a poor practice that Zimbabwe had never experienced before. In my 38
years of service this was the first of its kind and whoever is responsible at
Zimsec must be answerable to this kind of arrangement,” said Ndlovu.
He said the
new arrangement had burdened schools with extra transport costs as the exam
body instructed school heads to build store rooms to secure exam papers in
2017.
new arrangement had burdened schools with extra transport costs as the exam
body instructed school heads to build store rooms to secure exam papers in
2017.
“We are
disappointed by the fact that last year, Zimsec instructed headmasters to build
storerooms at a cost to secure exams and this year, they did not put those
rooms into use,” he said.
disappointed by the fact that last year, Zimsec instructed headmasters to build
storerooms at a cost to secure exams and this year, they did not put those
rooms into use,” he said.
Progressive
Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary general, Raymond Majongwe said transportation
of exam papers on a daily basis was a big challenge.
Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary general, Raymond Majongwe said transportation
of exam papers on a daily basis was a big challenge.
“The most
disappointing thing is that exams are now being collected and returned everyday
when there is no framework that enables headmasters to do this and the
government did not create any fund that would enable them to do this task every
day.
disappointing thing is that exams are now being collected and returned everyday
when there is no framework that enables headmasters to do this and the
government did not create any fund that would enable them to do this task every
day.
“There is no
special position that was agreed upon between teachers unions and the
government because everything is just being imposed from the top,” said
Majongwe.
special position that was agreed upon between teachers unions and the
government because everything is just being imposed from the top,” said
Majongwe.
The new
Zimsec regulations stipulate that schools must collect and return examination
materials to and from the cluster centre on the day of sitting to avoid
leakages.
Zimsec regulations stipulate that schools must collect and return examination
materials to and from the cluster centre on the day of sitting to avoid
leakages.
