Staff Reporter
Government is currently putting safety measures in schools to protect students from the menacing COVID-19 pandemic ahead of the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (ZIMSEC) examinations that are set to commence next week.
Briefing the media after the 40th Cabinet session yesterday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, said that Government is monitoring compliance of COVID-19 protocols in schools in preparation for the public exams.
“Regarding preparations for the safe administration of 2021 Zimbabwe School Examination Council (ZIMSEC) Examinations, the nation is advised that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is currently monitoring and strengthening COVID-19 compliance in preparation for the 2021 ZIMSEC Examinations. The same collaboration between the education and health sectors, which resulted in safe and successful 2020 schools’ examination processes, is expected to deliver the desired outcome,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
Minister Mutsvangwa added that Government has taken the COVID-19 vaccination blitz to schools as the country thrives to achieve herd immunity.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care is collaborating with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education on the vaccination blitz of the 16 to 17 year age group in schools. Cabinet wishes to report that the inclusion of this age group has increased the target population,” said the Minister.
Meanwhile, Minister Mutsvangwa informed that this year will be the first that ZIMSEC incorporates the Continuous Assessment of Learning Area (CALA) marks into the final results of learners. Consequently Government has since dispatched senior educators to schools to moderate CALA activities done by learners so that the credibility of country’s examinations system remains intact.
“The nation is also advised that 2021 is the first year that the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (ZIMSEC) is incorporating Continuous Assessment of Learning Area (CALA) marks into the final result for the Grade 7, “O” and “A” level examinations. In order to ensure that the continuous assessments were done in compliance with COVID-19 regulations and to also ensure that the credibility of the ZIMSEC examination system remains intact, senior management were all out in full force moderating and ensuring that Page 3 of 13 completion of Continuous Assessment of Learning Area Activities (CALA) is done by the end of November 2021,” added Minister Mutsvangwa.
Last year, Government managed to hold public examinations in a safer environment without eliciting a spike in COVID-19 infections in schools.
