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The Government has announced the 14th of September as the date for schools’ reopening for Cambridge examination classes and the 28th of September for the commencement of ZIMSEC examination classes.
Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa said the ZIMSEC examinations will start on 1 December 2020, during a post-cabinet media briefing on Tuesday.
She said the schools opening dates are scheduled for 14 September 2020, for Cambridge examination classes and on 28 September 2020 for ZIMSEC examination classes.
“Cambridge examination classes can start a fortnight earlier, on September 14, with Cambridge examination dates being earlier as they are set internationally by a British-based board and local examination on the 28th of September”.
Cabinet approved that the ZIMSEC examination classes should start on 1st December 2020.
Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje had hinted that schools were most likely to open in September, while public examinations would take place in December and January.
Zimbabwe’s two biggest teachers’ unions had suggested that Government should postpone exams to February 2021.
Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Dr. Sifiso Ndlovu said it would be unfair to the learners if the Government goes ahead with plans to reopen and schedule exams for November this year.
“To us, the issue of safety comes first. Our concern is, does the Government have capacity to provide a hygienic environment that will not allow the spread of the pandemic?” he said.
He argued, that both the learners and the teachers were ill-prepared after losing considerable learning time due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Dr. Takavafira Zhou said also argued that schools were not ready to open for Zimsec exams.
“The remuneration of teachers is yet to be addressed, so it’s not practical that schools should be reopened and prepare students to write examinations this year,” he said.
Zhou further added that before the Government rushes to reopen schools they first must address the issue of teacher recruitment noting that the backlog of 50 000 teachers was grossly affecting service delivery.
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