Schools Set To Reopen For Zimsec Exams Only
This is an updated article:
Zimbabwe’s Primary and Secondary Education Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema told The Sunday Mail that schools will reopen for exams only.
Government has made an the announcement on when schools will reopen following an assessment by his ministry.
Zimbabwe government has announced the dates for reopening of schools for this year’s examination students.
Cambridge exam students will open schools on 14 September 2020 while ZIMSEC students will resume school on 28 September 2020.
ZIMSEC exams will commence on 1 December 2020.
Cain Mathema said, “The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education got approval from Cabinet to start preparing for public examinations,” he said.
“We are using experience from the June 2020 examinations, which went on well as there was no Covid-19 case that was detected. Our teams from the ministry are now consulting both private, public schools, as well as parents on the reopening of schools. We are meeting teachers’ unions to consult on the dates. Later next week (this week), we will announce the dates of reopening of schools. However, we will be opening strictly for examinations.”
Speaking to the same publication, Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje said public exams might possibly spill into January.
“Schools are likely to be opened in September and the announcement is probably to be made next week (this week),” he said.
“So, after they have made the announcement, we will then meet with the Ministry (of Primary and Secondary Education) and finalise how learners should catch up. Our thinking is examinations can start in December and overlap into January 2021.
“The Grade Seven examinations will be the first examinations since we are now through with preparing for them.”
However, some teachers’ unions have called on Government to defer exams to February 2021.
Educationist Dr Cephas Nziramasanga said although students had already lost a lot of learning time, it was important for them to have in-person classes for at least three months.
He, however, said there was need for the Government to seriously consider continuous assessment as part of the learning system.
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