HARARE TRIBUNE
MONDAY, 6 APRIL 2009
Coltart said there are no ghost exam markers in ZIMSEC
Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart has described as false reports that there were ghost examination markers registered by the Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (Zimsec).
Speaking in a telephone interview from Harare, Minister Coltart said Zimsec had made a mistake in listing the markers.
The Minister was responding to reports in the media, that there were a number of ghost markers.
He said the main problem was duplication of names and national identity numbers, which appeared twice on the register.
Minister Coltart said the duplication of names was a result of typographical errors on the part of the examination body.
“The situation is under control and the Zimsec list was re-written without the anomalies,†said Minister Coltart.
He argued that the list of markers was long, since there were 3 500 teachers and mistakes were bound to occur.
“There were anomalies in the list of markers and I can’t say there are any ghost markers. There is nothing like that. It was just duplication of names and IDs but that has since been dealt with,†said Minister Coltart.
He cited the glaring mistakes as one of the major reasons that caused the delay in the payment of markers.
The Government, in conjunction with United Nations agencies, the Minister said, had already started paying Ordinary Level markers while Advanced Level examinations markers would be paid soon.
Minister Coltart could not be drawn to reveal the exact date when the examiners would access their allowances.
The markers are reportedly getting US$1 per script.
The marking of Zimsec 2008 final examination was delayed by months due to a teachers’ strike that dragged for almost a year.
Teachers were on an industrial action demanding a salary of US$2 300. However, the Government has awarded teachers and other civil servants an allowance of US$100.