Brighton Chiseva
MASVINGO – The
Zimbabwe National School Examination Council (Zimsec) could be put under
further scrutiny after revelations that the November 2018 exams from grade
seven right up to ‘A’ level were marred by irregularities.
Zimbabwe National School Examination Council (Zimsec) could be put under
further scrutiny after revelations that the November 2018 exams from grade
seven right up to ‘A’ level were marred by irregularities.
The
glitches ranged from non-inclusive questions, questions that diverged from the
requirements of the new syllabus to different instructions between the specimen
paper and the real exam papers.
glitches ranged from non-inclusive questions, questions that diverged from the
requirements of the new syllabus to different instructions between the specimen
paper and the real exam papers.
Many
anomalies were noted in both the ‘O’ and ‘A’ level Family and Religious Studies
(FRS) examination papers, prompting the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe
(PTUZ) to raise the matter with the Zimsec board.
anomalies were noted in both the ‘O’ and ‘A’ level Family and Religious Studies
(FRS) examination papers, prompting the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe
(PTUZ) to raise the matter with the Zimsec board.
In
a letter dated November 01, PTUZ secretary general Raymond Majongwe raises many
issues including lack of coherence between the syllabus and the exams.
a letter dated November 01, PTUZ secretary general Raymond Majongwe raises many
issues including lack of coherence between the syllabus and the exams.
“We
write this letter to complain about certain papers that have disadvantaged
leaners in the current examination session. While the new curriculum exposes
the leaners to four religions in the two year course which is commendable, the
FRS 6074 Paper 1, written in November 2018 lacks validity and is not in line
with the syllabus.
write this letter to complain about certain papers that have disadvantaged
leaners in the current examination session. While the new curriculum exposes
the leaners to four religions in the two year course which is commendable, the
FRS 6074 Paper 1, written in November 2018 lacks validity and is not in line
with the syllabus.
“We
believe some of the mistakes that found their way into the paper are either a
symptom of arrogance or incompetence on the part of the officer(s) who are in
charge of setting the items or compilation or both.
believe some of the mistakes that found their way into the paper are either a
symptom of arrogance or incompetence on the part of the officer(s) who are in
charge of setting the items or compilation or both.
“One
major problem that we noted is that there is a difference between the specimen
paper and the paper that came in the final examination,” reads part of the
letter.
major problem that we noted is that there is a difference between the specimen
paper and the paper that came in the final examination,” reads part of the
letter.
Both
teachers and learners, the letter states, felt misled by the syllabus template
as its guidelines did not do justice to them.
teachers and learners, the letter states, felt misled by the syllabus template
as its guidelines did not do justice to them.
Moreover,
the FRS 6074/1 specimen paper was two hours long but the actual paper was
written in two hours 30 minutes. The specimen instructed pupils to choose four
questions each carrying 25 marks but the actual paper required pupils to answer
five questions.
the FRS 6074/1 specimen paper was two hours long but the actual paper was
written in two hours 30 minutes. The specimen instructed pupils to choose four
questions each carrying 25 marks but the actual paper required pupils to answer
five questions.
In
response, Zimsec said it took the issues raised seriously and will do thorough
investigations.
response, Zimsec said it took the issues raised seriously and will do thorough
investigations.
“As
the examination council, we do not take lightly these issues and are in the
process of making investigations so as to respond to you accurately and
timeously,” reads part of the response.
the examination council, we do not take lightly these issues and are in the
process of making investigations so as to respond to you accurately and
timeously,” reads part of the response.
A
Divinity teacher told TellZim News some of the pupils wrote four questions as
had been advised by their teachers in the days before the exams while others noticed
the inconsistency and answered five.
Divinity teacher told TellZim News some of the pupils wrote four questions as
had been advised by their teachers in the days before the exams while others noticed
the inconsistency and answered five.
Another
teacher said he suspected the typists did not sit down to plan the Divinity
Paper 2 exam, but simply edited the paper 1 which required candidates to answer
five structured questions, each with 20 marks, but then forgot to change the
allocated time and the number of questions to be answered.
teacher said he suspected the typists did not sit down to plan the Divinity
Paper 2 exam, but simply edited the paper 1 which required candidates to answer
five structured questions, each with 20 marks, but then forgot to change the
allocated time and the number of questions to be answered.
The
paper also carried a recommendation for candidates not to spend more than 40
minutes on each question, meaning it would require a candidate who took the
advice more than three hours to complete the paper.
paper also carried a recommendation for candidates not to spend more than 40
minutes on each question, meaning it would require a candidate who took the
advice more than three hours to complete the paper.
A heritage studies ‘O’ level paper was labeled ‘A level’ and Zimsec had to send an
erratum notifying schools about the mistake.
erratum notifying schools about the mistake.
The
‘O’ level mathematics paper 1 had a question which required pupils to plot a
graph but the points exceeded the size of the graph paper.
‘O’ level mathematics paper 1 had a question which required pupils to plot a
graph but the points exceeded the size of the graph paper.
Grade
seven teachers also complained about the English Paper 2 whose questions they
claimed were not inclusive; with candidates being asked to write a composition
either on poor service delivery at a hotel or the experiences of life at a
farm.
seven teachers also complained about the English Paper 2 whose questions they
claimed were not inclusive; with candidates being asked to write a composition
either on poor service delivery at a hotel or the experiences of life at a
farm.
“What
did they expect children in rural areas who have never been at a hotel or at a
farm to write about? There are also children in urban areas who do not even
have the slightest idea of how hotel service works,” said one primary school
teacher.
did they expect children in rural areas who have never been at a hotel or at a
farm to write about? There are also children in urban areas who do not even
have the slightest idea of how hotel service works,” said one primary school
teacher.
TellZim
News reported a few weeks ago that the ‘O’ level Chemistry Paper 3 required
pupils to use highly concentrated Ammonia which affected many student, teachers
and lab technicians across the country, some of them suffering convulsions and
asthmatic attacks.
News reported a few weeks ago that the ‘O’ level Chemistry Paper 3 required
pupils to use highly concentrated Ammonia which affected many student, teachers
and lab technicians across the country, some of them suffering convulsions and
asthmatic attacks.
