We still think there is a very strong chance that this year’s June ZIMSEC examinations will be cancelled and that even the November examinations will be written late. However, recent remarks by ZIMSEC board chair, Professor Eddie Mwenje suggests that the exams have been provisionally postponed by one month i.e the bulk of the exams will now be written in July.
We met on Friday and managed to check the level of preparedness by Zimsec and they have completed the printing of the papers for the June examinations.
We can say that they are ready to stage the examinations. What we have advised them to do is to push the starting date by two to four weeks.
So, we advised Zimsec to consider pushing the exams by a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of four weeks so that it does not clash with other lessons for the November examinations.
Instead of the exams beginning late May, they may be pushed to begin mid-June. Although there is no extension for the June examinations registration, we are considering pushing the dates. We also spoke of social distancing during these examinations.
However, all this is also subject to Government pronouncement on May 3 when the current lockdown ends.
Professor Mwenje speaking to Sunday News
This means nothing
This does not mean that these dates are set in stone. Everything right now is in a state of constant flux as Covid-19 continues to create havoc throughout the world. In the UK June exams were completely cancelled. Cambridge also cancelled their international June exams due to the virus scare.
It is very unlikely that schools will open next week as they were scheduled. While Zimbabwe is still to face the sort of scare South Africa or indeed the United States are grappling with there is the very real chance that schools will only re-open in August out of an abundance of caution. This would make June exams impossible.
