PARENTS with children who wrote their Advanced and Ordinary Level science examinations last year are up in arms with authorities at St Anthony’s High School in Masvingo after the school threatened to withhold results of learners who did not pay their examination levies.
The parents argue that the examination levies, paid to cover examination administration costs, were too steep and unjustified.
In a letter dated December 15, 2023, seen by NewsDay, the school applied to the Primary and Secondary Education ministry for approval of the levies.
“We hereby apply for approval of a levy to cover science chemicals and equipment used in the Zimsec November 2023, O and A level exams. Quotations were used to make a comparative schedule and total amount for O Level was $20 246,50 and for A Level was $4 392,20. The following are the fees: Combined science O Level, US$29, physics US$27 (O Level and US$28 for A Level,” part of the letter read.
O Level candidates who sat for Biology pay a further US$22, Chemistry Paper 1, US$6, and Paper 2, US$10, respectively.
A Level candidates will pay US$34 for Biology, Chemistry US$36, Computer Science US$34, Crop Science US$38 and US$11 for Computers.
All students are expected to pay an additional US$3 for examination answer sheets.
St Anthony’s headmaster, Joram Mawana, advised parents in December last year that learners would only collect results on payments of the examination levy.
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A parent who spoke to NewsDay on conditions of anonymity said the school administration had already issued a warning that failure to pay the full amount would prevent them from accessing their children’s exam results.
“As parents, we still need the invoices from Zimsec so that we see how much we owe the Commission just like the school did when they were informing us about the exam fee.
“They should send us the invoices for stationary as well as for the chemicals for those who were doing sciences,” the parent said.
Mawana referred NewsDay to the school development committee chairperson Joseph Gumbire who said he did not have enough information on the issue.
