THE four Ordinary Level pupils at St David’S Bonda High School, whose results were withheld by the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) last month, will have to brace themselves for another examination this year after the High Court dismissed their application for the release of their November 2017 results.
BY CHARLES LAITON
The pupils had, through their parents, approached the court, seeking an order compelling Zimsec to release their results, so they could enrol for Advanced Levels. The results were withheld after the students were accused of cheating.
High Court judge, Justice Happius Zhou dismissed the application, saying “examinations are a matter of national importance and Zimsec should be allowed to take steps designed to protect their integrity”.
Zhou said the “court cannot interfere with the decision taken by Zimsec without aiding an illegality”.
Mike Velah, Albert Nyamuronda, Joseph Kurai Pedzayi and Brenda Hatinahama had filed the urgent chamber application last week, citing Primary and Secondary Education minister Paul Mavima and Zimsec, which was represented by Thabani Mpofu, as respondents.
Keep Reading
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
The parents, through their lawyer, Simon Chabuka said Zimsec’s decision to cancel the results over an alleged leaked mathematics paper 1 examination, was in violation of the country’s Constitution, saying the authorities had no evidence to substantiate their claims.
One of the affected parents, Velah said on February 23 this year, Zimsec announced it had released the November 2017 Ordinary Level results and asked candidates to go and collect them from their respective centres.
With his child, he went to the school to collect the results but was told they had been withheld over allegations of examination fraud and malpractice.
It was Velah’s argument that his daughter and her three colleagues were never caught cheating in any of their examinations and was never found in possession of any examination material.
She further highlighted to him that the questions she revised with her colleagues, as per the norm, were past exam papers and external question papers and questions of all types they anticipated would come in any examination, but Zhou ruled otherwise.