The state media has reported saying that the the June-July Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) examinations have been completed without a Covid-19 case being reported in centres countrywide.

The examinations went ahead after the Government put in place measures inline with World Health Organisation guidelines to protect candidates and invigilators, the state-owned chronicle reported.

The news release comes however at a time when the military general who took over power from former president Robert Mugabe has assumed authority as the country’s health minister. Analysts say now that he is in power, Constantino Chiwenga will do command reporting, following his modus operandi before and after the coup in the agriculture ministry, an operation he titled, Command Agriculture.

The report says pupils satfor the examinations between 30 June and July 23 under Covid-19 prevention guidelines including wearing of masks, social distancing and temperature tests.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema yesterday said, “We would like to appreciate those who administered the Zimsec June Examinations at the schools in particular the school/centre heads and the invigilators who remained professional and efficient despite the difficult operating environment posed by Covid-19 pandemic.

“Extended gratitude goes to some centres which were not originally examination centres but stood in for schools which were being used as Government quarantine centres. Great applause goes to these centres for swiftly rising to the occasion and ensuring that the examinations were successfully undertaken,” he said.