The anxiety and tension that grips pupils waiting for O or A level results can only get high in January when schools open for the first term.
Idai Makoni
This is the period when speculation is rife as the rumour mill is often busy circulating false news about the release of the results.
This is exacerbated by the examining body, Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Board and its failure to provide necessary information regarding results.
Results are normally released in February although the examining body sometimes takes up to March.
For both O and A level students, results are a critical point where career decisions are made in accordance with the outcome of the results.
Some pupils remain in denial, not wanting to believe that the day of reckoning is nearing.
“ I don’t want to think about results but despite my attempts to forget they even exist, I’m surrounded by people who constantly ask me if I’m ready for my results ,which I obviously am not. “, said Tanyaradzwa Hungwe, a public examination candidate. “The worst question anyone could ask me at this point is “what (sort of results)are you expecting”, because I don’t want to be too hopeful, and then be disappointed when results come, and I don’t want to be too pessimistic as it’ll be bad for my health and my wellbeing.”
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In Zimbabwe, one needs to attain at least five ‘O’ level passes in order to get a job. However, due to the high unemployment rates, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a job using high school or university degree passes.
O and A levels, nevertheless, still play an important role in the career path that a student chooses to take. “I want to study medicine at university, and because of this I am terrified that I might have failed the subjects I need for me to do medicine. My greatest fear is of being forced into an occupation that I don’t adore because I failed the subjects I needed for medicine,” said Hungwe.
For some, it is not so difficult to stay calm. Munashe Mataranyika who was an ‘O’ level candidate last year said: “I am, surprisingly, very calm. I’m not really anxious as yet, although I think I will begin to feel the jitters quite closer to the release date.”
Idai Makoni is a student at Arundel School and is waiting for her O Level results
