ZIMSEC in major boob: Schedules exams on public holiday
The Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) has made an embarrassing scheduling error—setting Ordinary Level exams on a public holiday.
Candidates were told they would sit for English Language and Combined Science on Monday, 26 May. But ZIMSEC later realised the date was a public holiday.
“The dates were revisited and any exams scheduled for May 26 initially were brought forward to May 23,”
— ZIMSEC spokesperson Nicky Dlamini told ZimLive.
Africa Day falls on 25 May, which is a Sunday this year. In Zimbabwe, when a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the next Monday becomes the official day off. This year, Monday 26 May will be a public holiday.
Confusion for private candidates
While schools may have received the correction, concerns are growing over whether private candidates—those not attached to formal schools—have been fully informed of the date change.
“A circular was sent out to all schools along with the statements of entry. All candidates will be advised by their centres,”
— said Dlamini.
ZIMSEC says it’s up to each exam centre to ensure that candidates are notified of changes.
“ZIMSEC is also communicating through its various channels,”
— added Dlamini.
But questions remain. How effective are these channels? Have all exam centres managed to contact their candidates? What about rural centres with poor connectivity?
“ZIMSEC must do better”
The incident has raised concerns among teachers and parents.
A school administrator in Harare, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:
“We picked it up early, but not everyone did. It’s worrying for independent learners.”
Another teacher added:
“ZIMSEC must do better. These are public exams. This kind of mistake causes stress for learners.”
As of now, there’s no official data on how many candidates were affected by the change or whether any failed to show up at the correct date.
Calls for clearer communication
With just days to go before the rescheduled papers, calls are growing for clearer communication from the examination board.
Some fear students may miss exams due to the confusion.
The Education Ministry is yet to comment on the matter.
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The post ZIMSEC Blunder: Schedules O-Level Exams On Public Holiday appeared first on iHarare News.
