Andile Tshuma
THE Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) says it is almost ready with the 2021 Ordinary Level examinations after marking and is now processing them for release anytime soon.
Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, Zimsec public relations manager Nicollet Dhlamini said examiners at different marking stations across the country had finished marking scripts which had all been submitted and were at different levels of processing.
“We are currently processing the Ordinary Level results for the 2021 end of year public examinations. Our examiners finished marking and we are working to ensure that candidates receive their results in the shortest time possible,” Dhlamini said.
“We urge the public to note that we will only communicate via traditional media channels and will not go to social media for official communication,” she said referring to social media rumours that the public examinations body had released results.
This comes as Zimsec has been facing multiple challenges with teachers boycotting invigilation over payment issues and markers downing tools over marking contracts and payment rates.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou told the Daily News yesterday that going forward, teachers would not accept invigilation and marking duties without clear communication on contracts and pay rates from the public examination body.
“Public examinations are not under terms of reference in the public service, they are an extra workload which should be paid for by the examinations body. We are asking for fair working conditions for the marking duration so that our teachers can be in good health and handle the exams marking in perfect psychological health,” he said, adding that poor remuneration compromised examiners’ ability to effectively grade the candidate’s scripts.