News / Regional
Headmaster loses November exam papers while travelling to Bulawayo
16 Oct 2012 at 23:29hrs | Views
THE acting headmaster of Sijahugwe Secondary School in the Siganda area of Bubi District, Matabeleland North, allegedly lost O-level examination question papers while travelling from Bulawayo to the school on Sunday.
Sources close to the matter said the examination papers included those of English Language, Mathematics, Geography, Ndebele, Integrated Science and Commerce for the November examinations.
The acting head, Mr Panganai Zimhuno, reportedly lost the examination papers which he had collected on Friday last week in Bulawayo.
By end of day yesterday, he was reportedly still trying to locate the question papers with assistance from the police in Bulawayo and education officials.
They reportedly visited Renkini Long Distance Bus Terminus where they spent the better part of the day trying to locate the bus that he had used on Sunday.
They, however, failed to locate the bus.
Matabeleland North provincial education director Mrs Boithatelo Mnguni confirmed the incident yesterday, saying the matter had been reported to the police.
"I received a report yesterday that the acting headmaster of a school in Bubi District lost examination papers when he was travelling from Bulawayo to his school. I am yet to get the full details of what exactly transpired because I am attending a meeting in Harare.
"A report has since been made to the police and they are searching for the examination papers. I hope that they are still intact and in a safe place," said Mrs Mnguni.
She said it was important for school authorities to seek assistance from their district offices if they had problems in transporting the examination papers.
"While school authorities are allowed to use public transport when carrying examination papers, they are advised to ask for assistance from their district offices if they cannot manage to do so on their own.
"The school in question is small with a few candidates and I would like to believe that the acting headmaster thought he would manage to carry them on his own.
"It is, however, unfortunate that he lost the papers," said Mrs Mnguni.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo also confirmed the incident.
"We are investigating the theft of examination papers.
"The papers were stolen between Renkini and the 30km peg along the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road and the theft was reported at the Mzilikazi Police Station in Bulawayo.
"I would like to appeal to members of the public who might have information about the whereabouts of the examination papers to contact the nearest police station," said Insp Moyo.
Contacted for comment on how the development would affect the O-level candidates in the country, the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) public relations manager Mr Ezekiel Pasipamire said he would be able to comment after receiving full details of the matter from Zimsec's Bulawayo offices.
The writing of O-level examinations starts on 29 October.
Sources close to the matter said the examination papers included those of English Language, Mathematics, Geography, Ndebele, Integrated Science and Commerce for the November examinations.
The acting head, Mr Panganai Zimhuno, reportedly lost the examination papers which he had collected on Friday last week in Bulawayo.
By end of day yesterday, he was reportedly still trying to locate the question papers with assistance from the police in Bulawayo and education officials.
They reportedly visited Renkini Long Distance Bus Terminus where they spent the better part of the day trying to locate the bus that he had used on Sunday.
They, however, failed to locate the bus.
Matabeleland North provincial education director Mrs Boithatelo Mnguni confirmed the incident yesterday, saying the matter had been reported to the police.
"I received a report yesterday that the acting headmaster of a school in Bubi District lost examination papers when he was travelling from Bulawayo to his school. I am yet to get the full details of what exactly transpired because I am attending a meeting in Harare.
"A report has since been made to the police and they are searching for the examination papers. I hope that they are still intact and in a safe place," said Mrs Mnguni.
She said it was important for school authorities to seek assistance from their district offices if they had problems in transporting the examination papers.
"While school authorities are allowed to use public transport when carrying examination papers, they are advised to ask for assistance from their district offices if they cannot manage to do so on their own.
"The school in question is small with a few candidates and I would like to believe that the acting headmaster thought he would manage to carry them on his own.
"It is, however, unfortunate that he lost the papers," said Mrs Mnguni.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo also confirmed the incident.
"We are investigating the theft of examination papers.
"The papers were stolen between Renkini and the 30km peg along the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road and the theft was reported at the Mzilikazi Police Station in Bulawayo.
"I would like to appeal to members of the public who might have information about the whereabouts of the examination papers to contact the nearest police station," said Insp Moyo.
Contacted for comment on how the development would affect the O-level candidates in the country, the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) public relations manager Mr Ezekiel Pasipamire said he would be able to comment after receiving full details of the matter from Zimsec's Bulawayo offices.
The writing of O-level examinations starts on 29 October.
Source - TC
