The June 2021 Zimsec public examinations for both O and A-Levels have been cancelled following disruptions caused by Covid-19 and the resulting lockdown with those who had wanted to sit in June now joining the large majority who are being prepared to sit in November.
Other Covid-19 related measures announced yesterday include new higher-security vaccination certificates to prevent forgeries and permission for casinos to reopen under strict rules.
The decision to suspend the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council June examinations arose from the delays in sitting the public examinations at the end of last year and the alterations of the standard calendar for education this year caused by schools having to be closed for the first two and half months of this year to combat the second wave of infection.
Logistics will be put in place to ensure candidates who wanted to sit their examinations in June will do so together with other students in November, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.
“Cabinet considered and approved a request for the suspension of the Zimsec June 2021 Ordinary and Advanced Level examination session, which was presented by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.”
“Cabinet was advised that the Covid-19 pandemic that broke out in 2020 had negatively impacted on the timing and cycle of public examinations, with the 2020 Grade 7, O-Level and A-Level examinations having commenced in early December 2020 and ended in early February 2021, instead of the usual period stretching from October to November of each year,” she said.
“The delay in writing and the marking of the previous examinations has affected the preparation and the setting of the next examination hence the decision to temporarily suspend the June 2021 examinations. This suspension of the June 2021 examination session will allow for timely focus on the November examination preparations and aid an effective focus of resources,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.- The Herald
