Govt presses ahead with June examinations

Harare (New Ziana) – The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education said on Monday June school examinations will commence on June 30 as Covid-19 precautionary measures had been undertaken to protect students and examiners.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Cain Mathema said examination centres had been disinfected while the necessary protective equipment had been acquired.

“The Ministry would like to assure the nation that the necessary measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of candidates and
invigilators during the course of the examinations,” Mathema told
journalists.

“To this end, thermometers, disinfectants, face masks, wash facilities
and hand sanitizers have been procured for all examination centres to
protect from Covid-19.”

With the country having recorded a jump in the number of Covid-19
cases in the past two months, student and teacher organisations had
objected to the mid-year examinations, arguing that adequate safety
measures had not been put in place.

The worries were exacerbated by cases of teachers who have infected
students and vice versa in some countries that rushed to re-open
schools.

Mathema said the time table announced by the Zimbabwe Schools
Examinations Council for the mid-year tests would be adhered to.

Zimbabwe, which closed schools two weeks ahead of time in March due to the coronavirus outbreak, is set to re-open them at the end of next month.

This will be done in phases, starting with final year grades and forms.
New Ziana