Zimbabweans React to Cancellation of June Examinations

Owen Kaura

Parents, guardians and teachers in Zimbabwe say the cancellation of the Zimsec June Ordinary and Advanced level examinations will give stakeholders ample time to prepare.

The cancellation arose from changes to the standard education calendar this year, caused by schools closing for the first two and a half months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Sifiso Ndlovu said, “That was a natural course of action because examination results for 2020 are not yet out.

For them (learners) to take up a June examination without preparing will not be an exercise in good faith.”

Zimbabwe Schools Development Associations and Committees Secretary General Everisto Jongwe concurred with Dr Ndlovu.

“When the kids went to write the previous June examinations most parents were not comfortable. At this juncture it is only best for our students to write the exams at a later date,” he said.

However, clinical psychologist, Dr Lazarus Kajawu was concerned about the mental health of those learners who had prepared for the examinations.

“Someone had prepared and you are told you are not going to sit for any exam, obviously some children may respond with despair,” he said.

Government on Wednesday said Logistics will be put in place to ensure candidates who wanted to sit for their examinations in June will do so together with other students in November.