News / Local
Exam pupils to attend classes daily
23 Mar 2021 at 06:13hrs | Views
PUPILS writing public examinations this year are required to attend classes daily so that they make up for the lost time as a result of Covid-19 induced schools closure last year and this year.
The other pupils can alternate to enable schools to enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) such as social distancing. Examination classes which are Grade Seven, Form Four and Six resumed classes last week while the rest of the pupils returned to school yesterday.
According to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Term One ends on June 4 with the Second Term commencing on June 28 and ending on September 10. The Third Term will start on October 4 and end on December 17.
Government has clarified that pupils not writing public examinations this year can alternate attending classes in order to limit the number of pupils per class.
According to the SOP, classes must not have more than 35 pupils. Schools will be expected to regularly conduct temperature tests on learners and sanitise hands as well as enforce mandatory wearing of masks.
In a telephone interview yesterday, the director of communications and advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Taungana Ndoro said examination classes should attend classes daily to enable them to make up for the lost time during schools closure.
"As a ministry we would like to clarify on information doing the rounds in the media and social media that two days schooling has been okayed.
"Firstly, the issue at hand is that examination classes do not alternate and they are expected to attend school every day with school authorities ensuring they meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) health protocols," said Mr Ndoro.
He said for non-examination classes the pupils can alternate if the school has big classes to justify such a move.
Last week, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema told the National Assembly that schools must accommodate all pupils who want to learn and those that have problems of space as a result of the reduced class sizes have the option of hot sitting. He said parents and guardians facing challenges in securing Grade One and Form One places for their children should approach the ministry officials.
"Every child in Zimbabwe must go to school and each school head whether these are public or private, must make sure that every child goes to school. If there is any situation where children are being turned away for whatever reasons, the parents, guardians and everybody else have to be in touch with my officers. We are not allowing that. Every child must go to school," said Minister Mathema.
The other pupils can alternate to enable schools to enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) such as social distancing. Examination classes which are Grade Seven, Form Four and Six resumed classes last week while the rest of the pupils returned to school yesterday.
According to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Term One ends on June 4 with the Second Term commencing on June 28 and ending on September 10. The Third Term will start on October 4 and end on December 17.
Government has clarified that pupils not writing public examinations this year can alternate attending classes in order to limit the number of pupils per class.
According to the SOP, classes must not have more than 35 pupils. Schools will be expected to regularly conduct temperature tests on learners and sanitise hands as well as enforce mandatory wearing of masks.
"As a ministry we would like to clarify on information doing the rounds in the media and social media that two days schooling has been okayed.
"Firstly, the issue at hand is that examination classes do not alternate and they are expected to attend school every day with school authorities ensuring they meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) health protocols," said Mr Ndoro.
He said for non-examination classes the pupils can alternate if the school has big classes to justify such a move.
Last week, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema told the National Assembly that schools must accommodate all pupils who want to learn and those that have problems of space as a result of the reduced class sizes have the option of hot sitting. He said parents and guardians facing challenges in securing Grade One and Form One places for their children should approach the ministry officials.
"Every child in Zimbabwe must go to school and each school head whether these are public or private, must make sure that every child goes to school. If there is any situation where children are being turned away for whatever reasons, the parents, guardians and everybody else have to be in touch with my officers. We are not allowing that. Every child must go to school," said Minister Mathema.
Source - chronicle
