The Herald
Herald Reporters
2nd October 2009
GOVERNMENT has thrown a lifeline to all students who failed to beat the registration deadline for the November public examinations, who are now required to register by Friday October 16 and make arrangements to pay the exam fees on a loan basis.
Thousands of prospective candidates had failed to raise the US$10 and US$20 per subject at Ordinary and Advanced Level respectively, figures several parents said were beyond their reach.
The reprieve was announced late last night by Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart amid reports that many prospective students had since stopped attending lessons when it appeared they would not sit for exams this year.
However, those taking advantage of the extended deadline can only register to sit for six “O” Level subjects. Those writing “A” Level exams can only register for three subjects.
In a statement, Minister Coltart said the Government had reached the decision after consultations with the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council and the Ministry of Finance.
“Sensitive to the plight of parents and guardians which would have adversely affected the academic future of the prospective candidates, it has now been agreed that the Ministry of Finance will mobilise financial resources as advance payment to Zimsec and a loan to enable all prospective candidates to sit for the Nove-mber ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level public examinations.
“Henceforth, every prospective candidate is advised to proceed urgently and register with their examination centres with which they will make arrangements for repayment of the loan,” Minister Coltart said.
He said those registering from now would make monthly payments up to January 31, 2010.
“It is my hope that this arrangement will assist those children who have not been able to register to date because of financial difficulties.
“Regrettably, this arrangement may result in some further delays in the commencement of the examinations, but it was felt that this was a price worth paying to ensure that as many students can write the examinations as possible,” Minister Coltart said.
He said Zimsec would soon advise the public on when exams would begin.
“It is my hope that as we fully stabilise the (education) sector in the coming months this type of action will become a thing of the past,” he said.
Minister Coltart encouraged candidates to focus on the exams.
The U-turn came as reports filtered in that the affected students had stopped going to school since they were not going to write exams.
By close of business yesterday, there seemed little hope for the students after Minister Coltart indicated there was little Government could do to save the situation.
This had elicited a backlash from students, parents, teachers’ unions and political parties, who said Government appeared to be turning a deaf ear to the plight of those affected.
Minister Coltart was quoted as saying earlier in the day: “There is a lead time when you place an order for the examination papers to be printed and this should be done within 35 days.
“We only signed the contract last Friday and this means the examinations will only start in late October and will run until late November or early December.
“If we extend the deadline any further, it would mean we would go into Christmas without completing the examinations.”
Heads of schools in Harare and its environs had said they witnessed a significant decline in Form Four and Upper Six class attendance this past week.
Zanu-PF’s Youth League had slammed the Education Ministry for “failing to handle the situation properly”.
Party national secretary for youth Cde Absolom Sikhosana said failure to assist the students was detrimental to the development of the nation.
Teachers’ unions had estimated that as many as 70 percent of prospective candidates had failed to beat the registration deadline.
The Education Ministry had put the figure at slightly over 50 percent.