News / National
Pupils barred from exam over US$3 sanitiser
10 Dec 2020 at 06:46hrs | Views
KUWADZANA 3 High School pupils were last Friday barred from sitting for their Ordinary Level Mathematics examination paper after failing to pay US$3 demanded by the school authorities for hand sanitisers.
Warren Park-Mabelreign district schools co-ordinator Jorum Mupunza yesterday confirmed the incident to NewsDay, adding that they had already instituted an investigation into the matter.
"We are in the process of investigations and can only be able to furnish you with the full details through the provincial director as soon we conclude our investigations," Mupunza said.
One of the affected students, who cannot be named for protection purposes, said they were ordered out of the school premises after failing to pay for the hand sanitisers.
The demand shocked parents of the affected pupils who said they understood the government had provided all materials needed to curb the spread of COVID-19 that has infected over 300 pupils since schools reopened a month ago.
One of the parents said she was shocked to find her daughter crying and upon inquiring, she was told the "sad story."
"When I came home my daughter started crying and upon inquiring, she told me she had not written her examination because she was sent back together with other pupils because they had not paid the US$3 to buy sanitisers. I accompanied her to the school and approached the headmistress, Mai Munetsi, who professed ignorance on the matter," the parent said.
"This is really sad, this is torture which is meant to deny my daughter her right to write the examination having fully paid the school fees and the examination fee. This will make it impossible for her to take the next step in life as these are the examinations that will determine her future."
The parent said the matter was reported to the district officials who were at the school when she went to confront the headmistress.
"How can someone be that greedy to the extent of ruining the life of my daughter? So who is going to carry the burden for her to be able to write that examination? This is cruelty at its worst," she said.
Efforts to get a comment from Munetsi were fruitless.
Warren Park-Mabelreign district schools co-ordinator Jorum Mupunza yesterday confirmed the incident to NewsDay, adding that they had already instituted an investigation into the matter.
"We are in the process of investigations and can only be able to furnish you with the full details through the provincial director as soon we conclude our investigations," Mupunza said.
One of the affected students, who cannot be named for protection purposes, said they were ordered out of the school premises after failing to pay for the hand sanitisers.
The demand shocked parents of the affected pupils who said they understood the government had provided all materials needed to curb the spread of COVID-19 that has infected over 300 pupils since schools reopened a month ago.
"When I came home my daughter started crying and upon inquiring, she told me she had not written her examination because she was sent back together with other pupils because they had not paid the US$3 to buy sanitisers. I accompanied her to the school and approached the headmistress, Mai Munetsi, who professed ignorance on the matter," the parent said.
"This is really sad, this is torture which is meant to deny my daughter her right to write the examination having fully paid the school fees and the examination fee. This will make it impossible for her to take the next step in life as these are the examinations that will determine her future."
The parent said the matter was reported to the district officials who were at the school when she went to confront the headmistress.
"How can someone be that greedy to the extent of ruining the life of my daughter? So who is going to carry the burden for her to be able to write that examination? This is cruelty at its worst," she said.
Efforts to get a comment from Munetsi were fruitless.
Source - newsday
