The Zimbabwean
By Thabani Dube
15 May 2013
The government has shot down a request by the Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council to increase Ordinary Level examination fees by a dollar.
“ZIMSEC wanted to increase examination fees for O-Level from $12 to $13 per subject in a bid to boost its revenue income. Cabinet was not prepared to grant that increase and instead undertook to subsidise ZIMSEC for the budget shortfall,†said Minister of Education Sports, Arts and Culture, David Coltart.
After failing to fund the primary examinations on time for the past three years, the government asked the ministry of education to transfer some money meant for O-Levels to bankroll the primary level tests. The national examining body released a total of $3,5 million.
Under the arrangement, the government was supposed to reimburse the transferred funds in batches. However, highly placed source in the ministry told The Zimbabwean that the government had only paid back $500,000, further threatening mid-year exams set for June and November this year.
“The government has failed to settle the debt on time and ZIMSEC still owes 2012 exam markers their allowances. The examining institution will struggle to maintain its viability as printing the papers might be delayed or markers will boycott,†said the source. Minister Coltart said: “If the government fails to honour its promise, there will definitely be problems in the running of the national examination institution as the money is used to pay and accommodate the markers, buy print examination stationery and cover other expenses,†he said.
Coltart added that there had been an increase in candidate registration since 2009.
“For June examinations alone, in 2011 we had 50, 661 candidates, last year 65, 306 candidates and this year a total of 97,788 registered for the midyear exams,†he said. Traditionally midyear exams are held in June and with Zanu (PF) calling for elections in the same month, there has been a rumour that examinations might be shifted. “My understanding is that all the papers are ready and the midyear exams will go ahead as scheduled for June,†said Coltart. The Permanent Secretary for Education, Constance Chigwabha, told the Parliament Portfolio on Education that ZIMSEC was facing bankruptcy and there was a need for the government to act fast.
“I am deeply concerned about ZIMSEC’s financial position and hope the Treasury will honour its commitment to fund the grade seven exams and pay back the money it owes,†said Chigwabha.