News / National
Zimsec lose $1.7m in stationery gaffe
10 Apr 2014 at 09:47hrs | Views
Struggling national examiner, the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) is losing over $1,7 million in potential revenue annually to schools and private colleges because of its inability to provide stationery for examinations.
Schools and colleges have filled the void left by the council's failure to provide examination pads to candidates and are charging an extra stationery fee of $5 per candidate intending to sit for ZIMSEC exams.
ZIMSEC finance director Zipora Muzenda said the council no longer provided examination pads.
"This stopped when the basic entry fee which candidates used to pay, which went to the purchase of stationery was scrapped."
Muzenda said a total of 341 192 candidates sat for ZIMSEC examinations last year. 309 272 candidates sat for Ordinary Level and 31 920 for Advanced Level respectively.
Simple arithmetic indicate that 341 192 candidates multiplied by an average of $5 charged by schools translate to $1,705 960 annually.
The figure is even set to be higher than $2 million as the council is expecting candidature to surge over last year's figures.
"We expect another increase in candidature at both levels - 12 000 at "O" Level and 10 000 at "A" Level," Muzenda said.
The $1,7m which the council is losing to schools and colleges in stationery fees could go a long way in improving the
financials of the functionally insolvent examiner notorious for failing to pay
markers.
According to treasury figures carried in the last week's government gazette, the Primary and Secondary Education ministry was allocated a total of $865,7 million with a paltry $7,6 m allocated to education coordination and development for the year.
While ZIMSEC no longer provides examination pads, the council still provides special paper for Principles of Accounts and Drawing and e-marker answer booklets.
Colleges and schools only provide examination pads excluding special papers and e-maker answer booklets but charge huge fees for that.
Schools and colleges have filled the void left by the council's failure to provide examination pads to candidates and are charging an extra stationery fee of $5 per candidate intending to sit for ZIMSEC exams.
ZIMSEC finance director Zipora Muzenda said the council no longer provided examination pads.
"This stopped when the basic entry fee which candidates used to pay, which went to the purchase of stationery was scrapped."
Muzenda said a total of 341 192 candidates sat for ZIMSEC examinations last year. 309 272 candidates sat for Ordinary Level and 31 920 for Advanced Level respectively.
Simple arithmetic indicate that 341 192 candidates multiplied by an average of $5 charged by schools translate to $1,705 960 annually.
"We expect another increase in candidature at both levels - 12 000 at "O" Level and 10 000 at "A" Level," Muzenda said.
The $1,7m which the council is losing to schools and colleges in stationery fees could go a long way in improving the
financials of the functionally insolvent examiner notorious for failing to pay
markers.
According to treasury figures carried in the last week's government gazette, the Primary and Secondary Education ministry was allocated a total of $865,7 million with a paltry $7,6 m allocated to education coordination and development for the year.
While ZIMSEC no longer provides examination pads, the council still provides special paper for Principles of Accounts and Drawing and e-marker answer booklets.
Colleges and schools only provide examination pads excluding special papers and e-maker answer booklets but charge huge fees for that.
Source - Zim Mail
