While Cambridge has announced that they have cancelled June O Level as well as AS A Level exams, ZIMSEC is yet to do the same. In fact, the government is insistent that these exams will go ahead as scheduled. This is despite the fact that schools had to close earlier than scheduled due to the coronavirus scare that is currently causing panic around the world.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education would like to inform parents/guardians that preparations for the 2020 June and November Examinations are going on as scheduled.
There is progress on the issue of online registration. Schools are responding well and all is in order. However, we have not yet received any communication on whether we should extend the registration period for schools or not, so to that effect, April 9 remains the last date for examination registration.
Minister of Secondary and Primary Education Caith Mathema speaking to the Herald
Registration chaos
Even before the coronavirus, there was a lot of confusion surrounding the registration process. The government was reluctant to charge parents a fortune during an economic meltdown. So the Minister of Education reversed the fees that ZIMSEC had announced only to reinstate them later and say the government would pay part of the fees.
Now it’s not even clear how parents and candidates are supposed to register given the lockdown. Many won’t be able to travel back to their schools to apply. ZIMSEC has said students can use online registration but most people don’t even know how this would work either.
