Govt Suspends ZIMSEC June Exams

The government has suspended the public the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) exams for both Ordinary and Advanced Levels saying COVID-19 disrupted the school calendar.

ZIMSEC spokesperson Ms Nicky Dlamini told The Sunday Mail that the suspension was temporary and likely to work in the learners’ favour. Dlamini said:

We cannot have June exams largely due to COVID-19-induced disruptions on the school calendar, which forced 2021 examinations to extend to almost the end of January this year.

The 2022 second term opened on May 3, which was ordinarily a month or so before the usual start of June examinations in previous years.

Dlamini said the delay could not allow for timely preparations for the June 2022 examinations.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Evelyn Ndlovu said going forward the Government will be guided by the findings of the Adhoc Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on COVID-19 and Provincial Education Directors (PED) reports.

Some learners say the latest development will put pressure on them. One Tracy Makombe, who is enrolled with a private college in Harare, reckoned:

I am supposed to write 10 Ordinary Level subjects this year. The plan was for me to sit for the easy three in June, then write the rest in November. But with the latest development, I now have to settle for one sitting, which means a lot of pressure on my part. 

Some are supplementing and feel the longer it will take for them to write, the more likely they are going to end up “abandoning” school and get into marriages.

Psychologist and University of Johannesburg post-doctoral researcher Dr John Ringson said there was a need for schools to invest in reconditioning learners’ mindsets.

This, he said, will help them accept the changes and reality of carrying their entire load to November.

Other students say the development gives them ample time to prepare for the exams.

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