PRIMARY and Secondary Education minister Evelyn Ndlovu yesterday aborted a scheduled media briefing and tour at the last minute to assess how the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) secures examination papers and how it runs national exams.
The tour was organised following rampant cases of examination leakages. Journalists were barred from touring the printing press and other facilities by both the ministry and Zimsec officials for security reasons despite the invitation.
The media was then advised to wait for a brief from Ndlovu after the tour. But Ndlovu was in no show. She immediately left after touring the Zimsec facilities. Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said the minister could not address the media because of medical issues.
“The minister said she was advised to stay off the media for two weeks on medical grounds, so she will not be able to address you today. We apologise for having you wait,” Ndoro said.
Zimsec exam papers have leaked on several occasions in the past years and the examination body has been forced to organise rewrites on several occasions.
This year, Zimsec nullified results of about 5 000 Ordinary Level candidates for alleged cheating after a number of examination papers leaked before the pupils had sat for their final examinations. Ndlovu told Parliament last month that the Primary and Secondary Education ministry would set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the leakages, after legislators questioned the fitness of the examination body to run exams.
