HARARE: The High Court ruled Wednesday that the English O’ Level Paper 2 will not be re-written as ordered by the national examinations council (Zimsec).
Zimsec had ordered that O’ Level students should re-sit for the 2017 November English Language Paper 2 following reports of rampant cheating.
However, Justice Loice Matanda Moyo, sitting together with sitting with Justice Priscilla Munangati-Manongwa, blocked the re-sit, ordering ZIMSEC to consider releasing results using the outcome of the English Language Paper 1 exam.
The court condemned failure by the education minister to take action against those responsible for the cheating.
“No action to date has been taken against such officials,” said Justice Matanda-Moyo.
“It is the court’s view that failure to take action against officials responsible for leakages is responsible for the discrediting of the education standards in Zimbabwe
“The Government is urged to take interest in ensuring that the credibility of our educational standards are safeguarded by investing in the examination system.
“This is the only way that the integrity of our examination can be restored.”
The judges called for an overhaul of Zimsec systems and said “heads must roll” over the bungling of public examinations.
In blocking the re-sit, the court also factored in issues such as costs to parents and guardians, lack of information to schools and students as well as the short notice given by the education minister which was announced the re-write decision on the 8th of February.
Meanwhile, according to information presented before the Judges by lawyer Tawanda Zvobgo, representing the respondents, out of the 260,000 students who wrote the paper in question, a Zimsec sample showed that 15,000 students cheated.Advertisement