Herald
29 May 2010
Herald Reporter
NOVEMBER public examination registration ended yesterday with Government reiterating there would be no reprieve for those who failed to pay on time.
Registration for Ordinary and Advanced level exam papers is US$10 and US$20 respectively.
There are fears that thousands of prospective candidates failed to beat the deadline and the situation could be the same as last year.
In 2009, tens of thousands of students did not sit for their public exams.
Yesterday, Education, Sports, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart said: “Government’s position is that the deadline remains unchanged. There are administrative issues the examination body has to attend to for the whole process to sail through smoothly. Parents and guardians had enough time to plan and register after examination fees were announced early.”
Minister Coltart said only candidates from impoverished families would be allowed to apply for State assistance.
“We understand there are some students from poor backgrounds especially those in rural areas and to them this is not the end of the matter as they can always apply for Government assistance.”
He said they could apply through the Basic Education Assistance Module.
Indications are that many rural schools had registration figures as poor as last year’s. At Marikopo Secondary School in Seke, 34 students out of a possible 69 registered while 29 out of 89 registered at Kandava Secondary School in the same area.
Just 15 out of 50 registered at Mpofu Secondary School in Mberengwa while at Jonasi Secondary School in Mashonaland East, 40 out of 80 had paid.
In some cases, students registered for less than the minimum five subjects that Zimsec set as the standard.
Urban schools, however, recorded an increase in the number of pupils registering for the examinations compared to previous years.
Schools such as Tafara, Kuwadzana 2, Harare and Glen Norah high schools noted increases.
Parents, students and teachers unions appealed to Government to extend the deadline to allow more students to register.
Teachers Union of Zimbabwe chief executive officer Mr Manuel Nyawo said: “We are worried because education is every child’s right.
“Government should realise that even us teachers are failing to pay for our students because of our meager salaries.
“This gap between the rich and the poor should be closed unless this State is a capitalistic one.”
Zimbabwe Teachers Association executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said Government should find mechanisms to enable all students to write examinations.
“It is unfortunate that many failed to register but Government must find a solution, which does not make education a preserve of the elite,” he said.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president, Mr Takavafira Zhou added: “If the nation is serious with its education sector, it must not allow such a scenario.
“It is prudent for Government to find ways to accommodate those students.”