$1,1m exam bail out for the poor

The Herald

Staff Reporter

15 October 2012

GOVERNMENT has paid US$1,1 million examination fees for Ordinary and Advanced level candidates under the Basic Education Assistance Module and urged schools not to bar any pupils with outstanding fees and/or levies from writing exams.

‘O’ and ‘A’ Level examinations are scheduled to begin on the 26th of this month. The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council had threatened to bar  16 000 BEAM-supported pupils from writing exams beginning this month over Government delays in paying fees.

Labour and Social Services executive assistant director Mrs Fortunate Zengenene said the recent payment had enabled an additional 4 000  pupils to be registered for this year’s exams.

Mrs Zengenene said Government paid US$1 185 243 for the pupils. Of the money, US$1 141 144 covers fees for O-level candidates while US$44 099 goes towards exam fees for A-level. “This means about 4 000 pupils supported by BEAM can still be registered for the examinations. For 2012, Government allocated US$16 million to BEAM for secondary schools with US$1,5 million set aside for examination fees,” she said.

Zimsec recently called on eligible candidates ready for the exams and approved by their respective headmasters to approach BEAM for registration by today. Candidates will be assisted in up to six subjects of their own choice, including one practical. The initial deadline for the registration was May 18 and many disadvantaged pupils failed to register.Registration fees for O-level examinations are pegged at US$11 per subject while A-level candidates pay US$22.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart said no pupil should be barred from writing public examinations for failing to pay tuition fees and levies.He said schools should instead withhold results of defaulting pupils. “Everyone has a right to education and according to Government policy, everyone should write and if they fail to pay, then results can be withheld. Parents and guardians should immediately notify education directors if they encounter such scenarios during examination time,” he said.