Opinion / Columnist
Zimsec Defence on Grade 7 Ndebele Paper Unacceptable
17 Oct 2013 at 11:51hrs | Views
In response to ZIMSEC statement on the grade 7 ndebele paper, I just want to tell Mr Esau Shingirayi Nhandara the Director of ZIMSEC that by strongly defending the use of such dirty words as "isifebe, ikhikhitha, omangumba and umsuzo" in the Grade 7 final examination paper, he has made us parents look like fools and unprincipled in the eyes of our children and society.
While we give our children a whipping or strong warning at home for using these words, how they go on and meet up with them in their final examination baffles not only our minds as parents but theirs as children too. When we complain the Director General of the examining board thinks that our complaints are misguided and goes to lengths defending their actions.
Whatever process that he says the setting of the examination goes through, nor how learned the people setting the paper are, is irrelevant in this case, this is very wrong and uncultured. Instead of defending this nonsense one would have expected a straight apology from Mr Nhandara who is himself obviously not a Ndebele and so not so privy to the command and conduct of Ndebele as a language and culture. I wish I could quickly have Shona words for these same words and ask him if he would be happy if his 12 year old child would be exposed to these words in their final examination.
Bearing in mind the amount of noise some people and pressure groups from Matebeleland region are making on the disregard of the respect and development of the languages from this region, with the kind of defence that ZIMSEC are giving, one would be left somehow agreeing with the sentiments from these people that there may just be a deliberate agenda to alienate or dilute these languages and culture at the source.
ZIMSEC can climb the highest mountain defending this but this was wrong, uncultured and uncalled for. Whatever context the words were used in or whatever motive there in, we the parents and teachers never want to expose our children to these words and ZIMSEC must just apologise and withdraw the defensive statement issued.
We pay school fees to have our children to be taught, groomed and examined well not to be exposed to such uncultured language for God's sake.
While we give our children a whipping or strong warning at home for using these words, how they go on and meet up with them in their final examination baffles not only our minds as parents but theirs as children too. When we complain the Director General of the examining board thinks that our complaints are misguided and goes to lengths defending their actions.
Whatever process that he says the setting of the examination goes through, nor how learned the people setting the paper are, is irrelevant in this case, this is very wrong and uncultured. Instead of defending this nonsense one would have expected a straight apology from Mr Nhandara who is himself obviously not a Ndebele and so not so privy to the command and conduct of Ndebele as a language and culture. I wish I could quickly have Shona words for these same words and ask him if he would be happy if his 12 year old child would be exposed to these words in their final examination.
Bearing in mind the amount of noise some people and pressure groups from Matebeleland region are making on the disregard of the respect and development of the languages from this region, with the kind of defence that ZIMSEC are giving, one would be left somehow agreeing with the sentiments from these people that there may just be a deliberate agenda to alienate or dilute these languages and culture at the source.
ZIMSEC can climb the highest mountain defending this but this was wrong, uncultured and uncalled for. Whatever context the words were used in or whatever motive there in, we the parents and teachers never want to expose our children to these words and ZIMSEC must just apologise and withdraw the defensive statement issued.
We pay school fees to have our children to be taught, groomed and examined well not to be exposed to such uncultured language for God's sake.
Source - Byo24News
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