FINAL public examinations for Grade Seven, Ordinary and Advanced Level students, which are normally taken in October and November each year, might be deferred to next year as the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) seeks to ensure learners complete the school syllabuses before writing.

This follows a directive by Cabinet last week to defer the planned reopening of schools on July 28 to curb the spread of Covid-19, which has seen local transmissions spike in recent weeks.

ZIMSEC chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje said examinations will only be written when students have completed the syllabus and when it is safe to do so, even if it means pushing the examinations to December this year or January next year.

He, however, highlighted that the examination management body would this week start preparing for the examinations, with dates for sitting for the tests set to be announced after consultations with various stakeholders.

“We are finalising the writing of June examinations, which are going on well and will be completed next week,” said Prof Mwenje.

“As soon as the June exams are done, we will start printing the November examination question papers.

However, once the President announces new opening dates, we will sit down with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education so that we come up with dates for the examinations.

“November 2020 examinations will be written, but they will only be written when students have completed the syllabus and when it is safe to do so, even if it means the examinations will be written in December or January next year.”

He said ZIMSEC understands that there was little time for students to prepare for examinations given that schools closed in March this year-The Sunday Mail