Exam fees hike causes furore

News
A NUMBER of private candidates in Bulawayo failed to register for the Zimsec June ‘O’ Level exams at various schools after the institution unilaterally increased centre fees from $20 to $80 per person.

A NUMBER of private candidates in Bulawayo failed to register for the Zimsec June ‘O’ Level exams at various schools after the institution unilaterally increased centre fees from $20 to $80 per person.

LUYANDUHLOBO MAKWATI OWN CORRESPONDENT

Registering a single subject costs $13 and the increase means some aspiring candidates would not sit for the June exams as they did not have enough money to cover the registration and centre fees.

The registration deadline for the June exams was on Monday.

Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora condemned the move by the schools saying they should not inflate charges for non-students as they were desperate.

However, Dokora said he was not aware how much schools charge external candidates as registration fees.

“I am not sure how much schools charge as centre fees to non-formal students at the moment, but centres should not inflate charges to non-formal students. You can phone the provincial education director for Bulawayo and he will be able to give you answers,” he said.

Provincial education director Dan Moyo declined to comment on the matter and referred Southern Eye to the permanent secretary in the Primary and Secondary ministry Education, Constance Chigwamba.

“I cannot answer you. If you need answers phone the secretary for education,” Moyo said.

Chigwamba also said she was not aware of the actual charges.

“I am not sure. All you can do is to give us time and we will check with Zimsec which is a parastatal,” she said.

Some aspiring candidates who failed to register said they were shocked by the conduct of certain headmasters at some schools for turning their plight into a fundraising exercise.

Some headmasters justified the charge saying external candidates had to pay for the desks and stationery they would use during the examination period.