By Brighton Chiseva
A class of 24 students who were doing Survey and Geometric course, from Harare Polytechnic who were supposed to graduate this year are facing an uncertain future after the college forgot to submit their exam scripts to the examination board in time.
The college is allegedly forcing students not only to retake the project management module exam but also to postpone their graduation to next year.
The oversight was discovered during an exam board meeting, and despite efforts to negotiate, with the examination board, the Higher Education Examination Council (HEXCO) refused to accept the scripts, citing it was too late.
Contacted for comment by TellZim News, Harare Poly Public Relations Officer Admire Masuku referred questions to Hexco saying exam related issues fell under their jurisdiction.
“I suggest you engage Hexco on matters concerning examinations. That matter falls under their purview,” said Masuku.
However, one of the affected students and ZINASU Harare Provincial Legal Secretary Tom Kwashira confirmed the matter to TellZim News and said the college’s negligence had put their graduation at risk.
The students had already completed their coursework and were expecting to graduate in August. However, with the need to rewrite the exam, their graduation plans were now uncertain.
“We heard the college failed to submit our scripts to Hexco in time and they are now asking us to rewrite the same exam without considering that we come from different areas and some may be out of the country now waiting to return for graduation,” said Kwashira.
He said they would not accept to simply write without favorable conditions including reimbursement of all expenses to be incurred and that they will graduate in August.
“We will not accept to simply rewrite the exam without conditions. We demand answers and justice for those who were affected by the college’s failure to submit our transcripts on time.
“We also want the college to cover all expenses for travel, accommodation, and food for students who had already gone home waiting for graduation. They think they can sway us by telling us that we will not repay the exam fees as if it’s the only expense,” said Kwashira.
The students also demanded assurance that they would be allowed to graduate this year, considering the difficulties they would face in meeting the normal graduation requirements.
“It’s already challenging to graduate under normal circumstances, and now we’re being forced to rewrite an exam due to the college’s mistake. We need guarantees that we’ll be able to graduate this year if we agree to rewrite the exam,” said Kwashira.
Kwashira emphasized that Harare Poly and Hexco should take responsibility for their mistake and should not involve the students who did their part already.
“They should sort out their mess and consider the impact on our plans and time. If we don’t graduate, many will be inconvenienced,” said Kwashira.
The college’s failure to submit the transcripts has sparked outrage among students, who feel that they were being unfairly penalized for the institution’s mistake.
Sources said the college claims that the scripts were underneath another pile of projects and thought all were projects not knowing that there were exam scripts at the bottom.
It was only discovered after a board meeting and Hexco refused to accept the scripts. The college allegedly tried to negotiate to resubmit them together with the upcoming examinations but they also refused.
