A class of 24 students who were doing Survey and Geometric course, from Harare Polytechnic who were supposed to graduate this year are facing an uncertain future after the college forgot to submit their exam scripts to the examination board in time.
The college is
allegedly forcing students not only to retake the project management module
exam but also to postpone their graduation to next year.
The oversight
was discovered during an exam board meeting, and despite efforts to negotiate,
with the examination board, the Higher Education Examination Council (HEXCO)
refused to accept the scripts, citing it was too late.
Contacted for
comment by TellZim News, Harare Poly Public Relations Officer Admire Masuku
referred questions to Hexco saying exam related issues fell under their
jurisdiction.
“I suggest you
engage Hexco on matters concerning examinations. That matter falls under their
purview,” said Masuku.
However, one of
the affected students and ZINASU Harare Provincial Legal Secretary Tom Kwashira
confirmed the matter to TellZim News and said the college’s negligence had put
their graduation at risk.
The students
had already completed their coursework and were expecting to graduate in
August. However, with the need to rewrite the exam, their graduation plans were
now uncertain.
“We heard the
college failed to submit our scripts to Hexco in time and they are now asking
us to rewrite the same exam without considering that we come from different
areas and some may be out of the country now waiting to return for graduation,”
said Kwashira.
He said they
would not accept to simply write without favorable conditions including
reimbursement of all expenses to be incurred and that they will graduate in
August.
“We will not
accept to simply rewrite the exam without conditions. We demand answers and
justice for those who were affected by the college’s failure to submit our
transcripts on time.
“We also want
the college to cover all expenses for travel, accommodation, and food for
students who had already gone home waiting for graduation. They think they can
sway us by telling us that we will not repay the exam fees as if it’s the only
expense,” said Kwashira.
The students
also demanded assurance that they would be allowed to graduate this year,
considering the difficulties they would face in meeting the normal graduation
requirements.
“It’s already
challenging to graduate under normal circumstances, and now we’re being forced
to rewrite an exam due to the college’s mistake. We need guarantees that we’ll
be able to graduate this year if we agree to rewrite the exam,” said Kwashira.
Kwashira
emphasized that Harare Poly and Hexco should take responsibility for their
mistake and should not involve the students who did their part already.
“They should
sort out their mess and consider the impact on our plans and time. If we don’t
graduate, many will be inconvenienced,” said Kwashira.
The college’s
failure to submit the transcripts has sparked outrage among students, who feel
that they were being unfairly penalized for the institution’s mistake.
Sources said
the college claims that the scripts were underneath another pile of projects
and thought all were projects not knowing that there were exam scripts at the
bottom.
It was only
discovered after a board meeting and Hexco refused to accept the scripts. The
college allegedly tried to negotiate to resubmit them together with the
upcoming examinations but they also refused. TellZimNews
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