adminSamuel Kadungure Senior Reporter
HEADS of top academic performing schools — that have high demand for places from prospective students — are headed for confrontation with their parent ministry amid revelations that they are defying a directive outlawing entrance and assessment tests.
St Faith’s High of Rusape held its Form One interviews last Saturday.
The head, Mr Moses Mukoyi, said this was after authorisation from the responsible authority — the Anglican Diocese of Manicaland.
However, the move flies in the face of Circular Number 13 of 2014, which was inked on August 15, putting a blanket ban on all entrance and assessment tests.
“Yes, we held our interviews on Saturday; they were for free, nobody paid to write. We are a national school and demand for places is very high, therefore it is prudent to give everyone an equal chance. The responsible authority gave us the green light and clearly instructed us not to levy anyone. We will communicate with the parents after two weeks. About the circular, I got it on the day of the interviews via one of the teachers,” said Mr Mukoyi.
The diocese’s education secretary, Mr Lazarus Nyatsanza, said the ministry gave them the green light to conduct interviews for as long as they were for free.
“I have spoken to her this morning and she reiterated that for as long as the interviews are for free, there was nothing wrong. Our schools are not asking parents to pay for the interviews. It is our culture to conduct interviews to select prospective students. Interviews are not being discriminatory, they give all an equal chance and are the most transparent way of enrolling students,” said Mr Nyatsanza.
Acting Provincial Education Director Mrs Clara Kanoerera said they have instituted an investigation into the matter.
“I wrote a letter instructing the District Education Officer (DEO) for Makoni, Mr Arkim Jiji, to institute an investigation because it is illegal.
“The ministry position is very clear — no school is allowed to conduct entrance tests. The heads know that and we cannot tolerate a situation where they, as accounting officers, succumb to the whims of responsible authority to violate policy. It is the duty of heads to explain policy issues to responsible authorities,” said Mrs Kanoerera.
Circular Number 13 of 2014, authored by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Constance Chagwamba, outlawed entrance tests to cushion parents from “unnecessary financial burden through payment of non-refundable entrance test fees”.
“This practice is discriminatory and violates the provision of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the Education Act. Against this background, on 12 February 2014, Cabinet directed the ministry to address the issue of the cost and funding of education with a view to making education more affordable and accessible”.
Mrs Chagwanda added: “The Education Act provides that every child in Zimbabwe has a right to education; no child shall be refused admission to any school or be discriminated by the imposition of onerous conditions regards to admission to any school on the grounds of race, tribe, place of origin, national or ethnic origin, political opinion, colour, creed or gender”.
However, some heads who spoke to The Manica Post, scoffed the directive, saying it will not achieve desired consequences.
They argued that the ministry’s position will end up breeding corruption in the selection of students.
“There is too much of don’t do this in the ministry. They should have banned the financial component, not the interviewing process.
“With interviews, a parent can walk into the head’s office and ask how the selection was done, and the proof can be produced.
“Remember boarding schools are national, and the demand for places is high such that without a clearly defined recruitment strategy, these children will end up being discriminated.
“Whatever recruitment exercise that does not involve interviews, will fall short on transparency and fairness,” said one school head who refused to be named.
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