Southern Eye
By Luyanduhlobo Makwati
16 October 2013
THE Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) was yesterday ducking and diving over the unfolding controversy surrounding the Grade 7 Ndebele public examination paper which contained bad language as choruses grow for the government to institute a probe into the scandal.
Several calls to Zimsec headquarters by Southern Eye seeking clarification were spurned for a second consecutive day.
Alex Charidza, a public relations officer at Zimsec in Harare, promised to provide details on what actually transpired, but failed to do so by the time of going to print yesterday.
“I will get back to you, give me 15 minutes, I will give you a comment now,†Charidza said yesterday afternoon, before cutting his phone off.
Some senior provincial education officers in Matabeleland, where the exam was written on Friday, shockingly revealed to Southern Eye that they had not seen the offensive Ndebele paper.
Mathius Luphahla, the deputy provincial education director for Matabeleland North responsible for primary schools, said he had not seen the paper, saying he was in Binga.
“I haven’t seen the paper because last week Friday, I was in Binga discharging some of my duties in the ministry. I cannot shed more light on the issue because I haven’t seen the paper,†Luphahla said.
But former Education minister David Coltart called for an investigation into the saga, adding that it would be surprising if Zimsec had not consulted education officers from Matabeleland before the exam was set.
“It’s an oversight. It’s regrettable, but I’m sure it will be sorted out in due course. An investigation is needed on how this crept in,†Coltart said.
“But I don’t think it was done deliberately to undermine Ndebele as a language. An investigation will be a proper thing to do because it is important for the language to be correct, not only for the sake of the children, but for the integrity and heritage of the Ndebele language.â€
Veteran educationist and language specialist Reverend Paul Damasane condemned the examiners saying the paper should have been well-moderated so that it portrays the true reflection of the Ndebele-speaking communities.
Damasane said if the Ndebele Grade 7 paper failed to address this, it meant that the culture of the Ndebele people would be compromised.
Umthwakazi youth leaders took a swipe on the country’s examining body.
Mqondisi Moyo, spokesperson of the group, said Zimsec must explain its actions.
“It’s so sad that the ministry (of Education) is assisting these people who are trying to assassinate Ndebele as a language and what they are doing is not good and we will not condone it,†Moyo said.
“The behaviour of these examiners is very chaotic and it cannot be replicated anywhere on earth.â€