Primary and Secondary Education secretary Tumisang Thabela has said postponing public examinations because of COVID-19 disruptions would cripple next year’s intake at higher and tertiary institutions.
BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA
Thabela said this recently while giving oral evidence before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education.
She said if examinations were scrapped off, those schools where learning was taking place would be disadvantaged.
In a statement, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou yesterday said Thabela’s remarks were irresponsible.
“What is the effect of not having first year students in tertiary schools to a country which has high unemployment rate? They just want to milk money from parents. This is an irresponsible comment from a person we had so much trust when she assumed office, but has quickly lost touch with what is happening in schools.
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“The yardstick for government performance is found in public schools and not private schools. What Thabela is saying is that the government does not care about pupils coming from poor backgrounds. We really wonder what happens to the minds of these officials once they occupy big offices,” Zhou said.