School head, deputy demoted, transferred over exam cheating

By The Southern Eye | Jun. 3, 2021

BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA

THE headmaster of Chingele Secondary School in Chiredzi South and his deputy have been demoted and transferred after they were allegedly involved in a Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) scandal where they wrote examinations for their wives and girlfriends in 2019.

This was unearthed recently by a team of Zimsec investigators in Harare, who found out that the head Mike Maluleke connived with his deputy, Checkson Tsumele and a mathematics teacher Roddington Sithole and English teacher, Misheck Mahungu to write examinations for their wives and girlfriends.

Maluleke was transferred to Odzi in Bikita district where he is now a deputy headmaster, while Tsumele was transferred to Malipati High School in Chiredzi.

Sithole and Mahungu skipped the border early last year after investigations by the Education ministry, Zimsec and the Zimbabwe Anti-corruption Commission (Zacc) intensified.

Masvingo acting provincial education director Shyllet Mhike confirmed the transfers, but said determination on their fate had not yet been made.

“Yes, as the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, through the Public Service Commission, we have transferred the teachers following a disciplinary hearing determination. It was also found out that the head was not substantive.

“So it was not only a transfer, but also a demotion. New teachers have already been deployed at the school. The transfers are with immediate effect and they were supposed to report for duty at their stations in their respective districts yesterday (Tuesday). As for the other two senior teachers, the determinations are not yet out,” Mhike said.

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Maluleke and the teachers were accused of writing examinations for eight candidates, while one teacher wrote for his second wife.

Candidates were also allegedly allowed to discuss answers during the examination.

Nine candidates had all their results for the November 2019 session nullified in accordance with the Zimsec policy, while the Combined Science examination results for the whole school were also cancelled.