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Zvamaida Murwira Harare Bureau
Government will not allow schools to offer Cambridge examinations to the exclusion of the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec), Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Professor Paul Mavima has said.
He stressed that all schools were obliged to offer Zimsec examinations and any other examination body would be given as an option.
Prof Mavima said this in the National Assembly yesterday while responding to a question from Harare West MP, Jessie Majome (MDC-T), who had asked why government was depriving pupils of their right to education by denying them the right to write Cambridge examinations.
“Our policy is that every school in Zimbabwe should offer Zimsec exams. If they want to offer pupils other examinations they can do that but they should abide by this provision,” said Prof Mavima.
Responding to a question on the banning of extra lessons, he said teachers had developed a tendency of not teaching during normal time hoping to cash in on extra lessons.
Meanwhile, Mines and Mining Development Minister Cde Walter Chidhakwa said government was working tirelessly to revive closed mines across the country, with the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation having been mandated to do that.
Some of the mines include Kamativi, Shabanie Mashava Mine, Copper Queen, Mhangura, Sabi Gold and Elvington.
He said the previous ZMDC board had not handled well prospective investors who wanted to put money into such mines as Kamativi.
Responding to another question, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Deputy Minister, Cde Biggie Matiza said his ministry was investigating allegations that a treasurer with Chaminuka Rural District Council in Mashonaland Central had misappropriated $200,000 that came from the Zimbabwe National Road Administration for road maintenance.
Cde Matiza said the provincial administrator for the province and his ministry was already seized with the matter.
He was responding to a question from St Mary’s MP, Unganai Tarusenga, who wanted to know what the ministry was doing about the issue.
But Southerton MP, Gift Chimanikire (MDC-T), castigated him for failing to tell the House pertinent information on whether the treasurer was arrested or was still in office.
“He admits that there was a treasurer who failed to account for $200,000.
“Nowhere does he mention that he was arrested and if he is in office,” said Chimanikire.
Cde Matiza said investigations were still underway to establish the credibility of the allegations.
Online Reporter