State Media
THE Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) has released timetables for the 2020 November candidates with Ordinary and Advanced level exams set to commence on December 1, while Grade Seven tests begin on December 3.
The Government has indicated that from next year, learners will not be assessed by final exams alone but through the continuous assessment model that incorporates coursework.
The last papers for this year’s Advanced Level examination candidates will be written on December 18.
Ordinary Level candidates will break exams for the festive season on December 18, resume on January 5 and sit for the final paper on February 5.
Grade Sevens complete their examinations on December 17.
Despite announcing examination dates, ZIMSEC says it will publish dates for 22 Advanced and Ordinary level practical subjects later.
Zimsec board chairman, Prof Eddie Mwenje, said:
“The practical subjects’ dates will be announced once everything is in place. However, we are working on not shifting the timetable too much because if we do so we might not be able to have Grade Sevens write and have their results this year.
“So we are going to stick to the timetable as much as possible. We have parents that need to look for Form One places. Teachers that mark will also need to be given a break so that come next year we will not have too much pressure.”
This year’s batch of examination classes is likely to be the last to have education results graded using examinations alone as schools will be required to extensively implement continuous assessments, which incorporate course work.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema said work was at an advanced stage to implement the continuous assessment model.
“We are currently working on various modalities for the implementation so that learners’ passes or failures are not only graded based on a one or two-hour examination,” he said.
“So from next year, continuous assessment will be there.”
ZIMSEC estimates that about 1, 2 million pupils will sit for this year’s examinations, which have been hampered by failure of some teachers to report for duty.
Government has however, introduced crash programmes for the examination classes to ensure that learners catch up on lost time.
Advanced level practical subjects that will have dates announced later include Building Technology and Design 6003/2, Theatre Arts 6026/3Art — Controlled Test 6029/2Food Technology and Design 6036/2 Home Management and Design 6038/2Technical Graphics and Design 6047/3 Dance6050/3 Musical Arts 6053/2, French6068/1, Textile Technology and Design 6069/2, Physical Education, Sport and Mass Displays 6070/2, Sport Science and Technology.
The Ordinary level practical subjects are Physical Education, Sport & Mass Displays 4002/3, Building Technology and Design 4052/2 Food Technology and Design 4054/2 Home Management and Design 4056/2 Technical Graphics and Design 4057/3 Dance4061/3 Musical Arts 4062/3 Theatre Arts 4063/3 French 4064/3.