Friday 21 May 2021

NEW EXAM FEES SET

Zimsec examination fees for the November O-Level and A-Level examinations have been set with a 55 percent Government subsidy for those writing the examinations in public schools bringing the total cost down to $5 194 for seven O-Level subjects and $3 240 for three A-Level subjects.

The public schools include those run by local authorities and the non-profit mission schools.

There are no Zimsec examinations in June because delays caused by the Covid-19 prevention measures saw last November’s exams extend into early this year and there was a late start to the first term this year.

This year’s full cost for O-Level will be $1 648 a subject for candidates at private schools and colleges while those eligible for the subsidy will pay $742 a subject, with a maximum of seven subjects covered by the subsidy.

Anyone in the public system writing more subjects will pay the full cost for the extra subjects.

A-Level exam fees at private schools and colleges are $2 400 a subject and $1 080 a subject in the public system, up to a maximum of four subjects. There is an extra fee for those sitting communication skills: $994 at public schools and $2 208 at private schools.

The closing date for payment and submission of entries for the examinations is July 9 and late entries will close on July 30. The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council announced the fees in a circular yesterday, .

The subsidy, with a budget of $1,7 billion, was put in place to ease the pressure on parents whose incomes were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although the pandemic negatively affected learning processes, the pass rates for the 2020 public examinations remained within the normal range.

This was attributable to the interventions by Government which ensured that the learning and examination processes proceeded, albeit under very unusual and difficult circumstances.

The Second Republic has been investing heavily in education over the past three years resulting in vastly improved infrastructure and better quality learning.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education communications and advocacy director Mr Taungana Ndoro this week said supporting more pupils would help foster national development.

“Government expects the youth in the country to play a critical role towards attainment of an upper middle income economy by 2030 and this will be achieved through supporting education system and policy interventions aimed at creating an empowered youth, which is actively involved in national development, he said.

Mr Ndoro said Government was doing its level best to improve the quality education across the country, particularly in rural schools. Herald

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