Headmaster, teacher write grade 7 exams for pupils

A HEADMASTER at Vengwe Primary School in Mberengwa has been arrested for allegedly instructing teachers to write Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council Grade Seven examinations for pupils at the rural school in a bid to improve the pass rate.

Samuel Chuma (49) of Mdluli village under Chief Bankwe in Mberengwa allegedly instructed teachers at his school to write the November Grade Seven examinations for some of the pupils who were not performing well during the course of the year.

It is alleged that on 14 October last year, Chuma took answer sheets and gave some to a teacher and they both wrote the Grade Seven English Paper Two for some of the pupils.

It is also alleged that Chuma used the same method to write examinations for the pupils at the school in other subjects.

However, the matter came to light during the marking of the examinations when some of the markers discovered that there were some inconsistencies in the performances of the pupils as well as hand writings.

The matter was reported to Zimsec which then made a follow-up.

It was later discovered that Chuma had also connived with other teachers to write exams for the pupils.

The matter was reported to the police who launched investigations leading to Chuma's arrest.

Meanwhile, Chuma, who pleaded not guilty to contravening the Zimsec Act, was remanded out of custody to Friday when he appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Mr Peter Madiba.

For the State, Mr Stanley Ncube alleged that Chuma abused his authority as a holder of a public office to write exams for pupils at his school.

He said the matter was discovered on 9 November last year during the marking of the exams.

A school head, four teachers and a cook were last month arrested for allegedly leaking an Ordinary Level Mathematics November Examination Paper One to pupils and private candidates, some of whom were trainee teachers at Mkoba Teachers' College.

Clever Chimuka, a headmaster at Whata Secondary School in Lower Gweru and his deputy Thulani Nkomo and teachers Praise Dube, Bismarck Gumbo and Brighton Tamboona and Shepherd Munjanja who is a cook at Mkoba Teachers College recently appeared before Gweru magistrate Mr Tendai Madanhire for criminal abuse of office and leaking Zimsec examinations.

In 2013, a school head at Njeremoto Secondary School in Sesombe Resettlement area in Zhombe, Vimbai Manaka, was arrested together with Bonaventure Mungwiro (42), a teacher at Manunure High in Kwekwe, his brother Berbandino (40), a teacher at Munyati High in Kwekwe, William Gondo a student from Midlands State University and Michael Chiridzo (40) and Lloyd Mpofu who are both teachers at Chiridzo Private College in Mbizo, Kwekwe, for leaking O-level Geography Paper Two and Integrated Science Paper Two.