Government has suspended the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council June examinations for 2021 while Treasury is set to release US$4,5 million to the Registrar General’s Office towards the clearing of a 256 000 passport backlog.

Cabinet adopted new passport fees which will result in an ordinary passport going out for US$60, a three-day passport costing US$200 and a 24-hour emergency passport being obtained for US$318.

An ordinary passport was being obtained for $600 which is equivalent to US$7 using the auction rate.

The new measures were adopted during the 9th 2021 Cabinet meeting held yesterday.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa briefing the Press after the Cabinet meeting, said Covid-19 has disrupted the education sector forcing the call-off of June public examinations.

“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 (Cain Mathema). Cabinet was advised that the Covid-19 pandemic that broke out in 2020 had negatively impacted 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,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“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.”

Minister Mutsvangwa said Government will make arrangements to ensure that candidates who wanted to write in June are accommodated in November.

-State Media