Claim: A social media user claimed that primary school learners in Zimbabwe are now required to sit for the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (ZIMSEC) public examinations at grade six and seven.
“Just learnt this morning that primary/ elementary school learners in #Zimbabwe are now required to sit for ZIMSEC public examinations at grade six and seven. What’s the purpose and usefulness of grade six ZIMSEC examination,” read the claim.
Contacted for a comment, ZIMSEC Spokesperson Nicholette Dlamini said it was not true and the person may have misread their recent circular.
“No that is not true, grade 7 is grade 7, they sit for exams at grade seven,” said Dlamini.
“I think somebody misread the circular we sent out as you know that they start paying for grade seven exams at grade six, they spread over two years but otherwise the exams are written at grade seven.”
She said the payment of the Grade Seven examination fee is spread over two years as part of efforts to enable parents to raise the money.
“It is spread over six terms to allow parents to be able to afford it because when there was an increase the parents indicated that they could not afford a once-off payment,” said the ZIMSEC Spokesperson.
“So, if we see that this year, they are paying 360, is that not so, so a child at grade 6 will start paying the first term, second term, third term, first term and second term, they have five terms to be able to pay that money. It is in response to an understanding that parents may not have that money all at once,” she said.
