WEEKS after educationist Caiphus Nziramasanga re-affirmed his assertion that Grade 7 and O’ Level examinations should be scrapped,the issue has sparked heated debate among parents,teachers unions, educationists and the ordinary Zimbabwean on the street.
Phyliis Mbanje
Nziramasanga says these exams are no longer relevant. They are an unnecessary cost to government as well as parents, he argues. Debate now rages as people from different walks of life bring out their views and it remains to be seen what position prevails.
The veteran educationist suggested that the two examinations should be replaced by continuous assessments. He says the assessments should start from Early Childhood Education right up to Advanced Level without discriminating any student by making them write examinations.
His assertions are not new as they are part of a report that he wrote six years ago, together with 11 commissioners tasked with reviewing the country’s education curriculum.
The 12-member committee was mappointed by President Robert Mugabe in January 1998 to inquire into the country’s entire education system.
A plethora of educational issues were explored in great detail, culminating in a comprehensive 644-page report being published and presented to the President.
The commission’s report contained findings, challenges and recommendations which were far-reaching and were expected to guide educational reform at all levels.
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Currently, the Zimbabwe school curriculum is being revised with a view to implementing some of thereforms that were recommended by the 1998 Nziramasanga Report.
An abstract of the report reads: “These recommendations are radical, perhaps contentious and in some cases, demanding radical, or complete revamping of the system, with an outcomes based approach; contentious because of a proposed change in the education structure and the examination system.
“The central proposal is to overhaul the curriculum at all levels in order to make it relevant to the needs of the country and the individual learner. Among the major proposals are to guarantee nine years of basic education for every child and the encouragement to extend education beyond.”
Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said he was in agreement with the Nziramasanga Report.
Ndlovu said continuous assessment would be more beneficial than forcing pupils to hastily write examinations, which would determine their future.
Zimta recently opposed the introduction of a Grade Seven examination fee, saying it would burden parents who were already struggling to keep their children in school.
Deputy minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Paul Mavima recently told Parliament that primary school pupils would start paying $1 per year, from Grade Five to Seven, which would go towards Grade Seven examination fees pegged at $3.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Raymond Majongwe however, lambasted Zimta and the Nziramasanga Report, saying they should explain to the nation the direct benefits of their proposals.
He described their suggestions to scrap Grade Seven and O’Level examinations as “education vandalism”.
“Such suggestions are equated to what I call education vandalism. We will reverse the gains acquired over years if we allow this,” he said.
The fiery unionist alleged Nziramasanga was just trying to use the nation to pilot his project for his thesis.
“Once we permit this to happen, we would not only have gone back to the colonial era, but opened doors for the government to take advantage and start downsizing staff,” he said.
Majongwe said there would be chaos at schools because the students would just be learning with no light at the end of the tunnel if the exams were scrapped.
“There will be rampant cases of all sorts of truancy and how will this benefit the nation?” he asked.
A random survey from ordinary people attracted varying views.
The majority interviewed by The Standard did not agree with Nziramasanga’s line of thinking.
Jacob Matorino from Tynwald said the proposal could almost be termed as “ridiculous” as the education system would be hugely compromised.
“As it is, the current education standards in the country are not admirable.For a learned person like Nziramasanga to suggest such an unsubstantiated claim is wrong,” he said.
A mechanic from Greendale, Gift Mupanduki expressed different views. He said there was a bit of sense in the proposal which should not be thrown away without looking at some of the merits.
“Zimbabweans are very quick to condemn but do not offer alternatives,” he said.
He argued that there was nothing wrong with putting to test Nziramasanga’s suggestions. He said if indeed it was later proved they did not measure up, there would always be other options.
