High Court judge Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo yesterday reserved, to today, judgment in the matter in which parents are challenging Primary and Secondary Education minister Paul Mavima’s move to order a retake of the 2017 O-Level English Paper 2 examination, which he nullified following reports of massive leaking of the test paper through social media.
BY CHARLES LAITON
Through the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, some concerned parents approached the court last week seeking a court order declaring Mavima’s announcement as “null and void”, arguing his decision was against the country’s laws.
A week ago, Mavima announced his ministry had withdrawn the English Paper 2 and issued an order for all the students to retake the paper this Friday.
However, two of the affected students’ parents – Victor Mukomeka and Chingasiyeni Govhati – approached the court challenging Mavima’s authority, arguing the minister does not have the mandate to act in the manner he did.
The parents said what the minister could do, in terms of section 36 of the Act, was to promulgate regulations to do with, among other things, the cancellation, for good cause, of examinations or the results of examinations and the disqualification of examination candidates.
They also argued that some of the students had travelled outside the country and as such would face difficulties if Mavima’s decision was upheld.
