Blessing Mhlanga registered for 10 subjects for the
November 2020 O-Level examinations.
However, soon after the release of the results, he checked
the Zimsec online portal and discovered that some results were missing.
Mhlanga, through his lawyers, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human
Rights, filed an application at the Bulawayo High Court citing Zimsec, Drake
High School, and Kwekwe district schools inspector, Mr Herbert Maziriri as
respondents.
In his founding affidavit, Mhlanga said in 2020, he first
registered four subjects under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM)
before sourcing for funds and adding another six subjects.
Upon the release of the results in May 2021, he discovered
that only subjects he registered under BEAM were showing while the rest were
not reflecting on the Zimsec portal.
“Having realised that not all my results were released, I
then approached Drake High School over the matter and the school’s deputy head
was instructed to compile the necessary amendment forms in order to notify
Zimsec that I had not received all my results,” said Mhlanga.
“In June I went back to the school and they told me they
had not received any feedback from Zimsec and they highlighted that there was
nothing they could do as a school since the issue was now being handled by
Zimsec.”
Since then Mhlanga said he had been making numerous follow
ups including visiting Zimsec regional offices in Gweru to no avail.
“In September 2021, I followed up with the school and I was
given copies of the amendment forms and went to the Zimsec regional offices in
Gweru. There, I was informed that my amendment forms could not be located at
the head office in Harare,” he said.
“I have been making telephonic inquiries over the matter
and I was met with the same response over and over again.”
Mhlanga said the failure of Zimsec to release his results
is hindering him from pursuing his studies.
“I intend to further my education at an institution of
higher learning in either civil engineering or pharmaceutical studies. However,
one of the prerequisites for admission at universities is that I must have
passed at least five Ordinary Levels,” he said.
“It is, therefore, my humble submission that the failure by
the school to release my examination results notwithstanding that I sat for the
examination and demanded the release of my results, is an affront to my rights
to administrative justice, access to information and further education.”
Mhlanga said with the assistance of Drake High School head,
Mr Wellington Mapingire, he managed to enrol at Batanai High School where he
sat for Advanced Level and obtained 12 points.
“I have been prejudiced and continue to be prejudiced by
Zimsec if they fail to release my missing results. I further wish to aver that
I have no other remedy save for approaching this Honourable Court for relief,”
he said.
“I have made several efforts to engage Zimsec but in vain.
Accordingly, I pray for an order that the issue be brought to finality.”
In his opposing affidavit, Zimsec corporate affairs
secretary, Tendai Regina Marufu, said Mhlanga only registered for four
subjects.
“The alleged candidates’ list which has been attached
(showing registered results), did not originate from Zimsec. It is alien to
Zimsec and it is not proof of registration for examinations. The applicant
knows very well that the only real form of confirmation of registration is
one’s statement of entry which is issued by the school,” he argued.
“If indeed he registered for an additional six
examinations, and Zimsec confirmed such registration, then he should provide a
statement of entry issued by Zimsec confirming such registration.”
Marufu said there is a probability that the school failed
to timeously assist Mhlanga in completing the registration process for the
additional six subjects.
“Although it is confirmed that Mhlanga sat and wrote the
ten subjects as he alleges, the fact of the matter is that he was a pirate
candidate, which means an unregistered candidate in respect of those six
subjects for which he was not registered,” he said.
“The fact that the applicant’s results slip did not
indicate that the results were missing shows that he was never registered for
the exams in question hence the only recourse was to withhold those results in
which the applicant wrote the examination as a pirate candidate.”
Marufu shifted the blame on the school, arguing that
authorities did not play their part.
“Somehow, the school had a large part to play in the
non-registration of the applicant and has been sending him on an endless wild
goose chase for the last three years. There can be logical reasons why the
school would refuse to present the query forms to our offices after request if
indeed the school had nothing to hide,” he said. Chronicle
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