Zimbabwean
| Written by The Student Solidarity Trust
|
| Friday, 21 May 2010 |
| In just under a month from now, Zimbabwean students who are in the ordinary and advanced level classes will begin examination season as they sit for the June exams. Memories are still fresh of the traumatic experiences of students who had to sit for examinations in 2008 after, according to the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), they had only had 24 days of learning. Compounding the Students’ problems was the fact that results were only released in May 2009, long after the time students could have enrolled for their next programs. This meant that the 2008 stream of students lost a whole year due to no fault of their own. The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart inherited the problem and seems to have set in motion moves to reform the Zimbabwe Schools’ Examinations Council [ZIMSEC] although he has been mum on the issue. As Senator Coltart and ZIMSEC brace themselves for another season of administering examinations, the contentious issue around fees and the fee structure for ZIMSEC has not yet been satisfactorily resolved. Students are still in limbo regarding the full fee structure and how those who are unable to pay will be catered for. An unfortunate group of students found themselves unable to sit for their examinations despite the ministry’s numerous extensions to the payment deadline. The ministry should, for the avoidance of any doubt clarify issues financial for parents and guardians to adequately prepare and not be court off guard as last year. From the financial inadequacies to administrative bungling, the examination body is riddled with problems which the minister has to rectify as a matter of urgency if sanity, confidence and efficiency are to be restored. So low is the confidence in Zimbabwe’s examination system that despite the biting economic challenges parents and guardians face, Cambridge is the option many of the struggling parents have settled for. This has further burdened parents due to very low salaries due to the slow progress in the economic activity in Zimbabwe. Through a number of articles in its March 14 edition, The Standard exposed the unfortunate sorry state of the exam body. This only added to the several testimonials on and off record of the inefficiencies of ZIMSEC. That the examinations’ body is operating without a fully-fledged board is to say the least concerning. Students of Zimbabwe in particular and citizens of Zimbabwe in general need to have their confidence restored in ZIMSEC. A massive audit and clean out should also occur to nip in the bud the corruption that had taken root at the council. Senator Coltart should at the very least come clean with the public on what steps he has or intends to take to sanitise ZIMSEC. |