The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) says school-going children of Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) holders are expected to produce valid examination results when they return to Zimbabwe.
The examination results will be measured using the qualification equivalence grade conversion system so that they can be admitted to further their education.
For learners who may not have sat for examinations yet in South Africa but want to return to school in Zimbabwe, they will be assessed at the school level by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
ZIMSEC public relations manager Nicky Dlamini said admittance into primary and secondary education will be measured by syllabus coverage of the learners from South Africa which will determine where they will be placed to continue with their education before they sit for public examinations. She said:
The grade conversion is what is termed ‘Qualifications Equivalence’. This is a process where candidates have their grades equated to the grading standards of the country in which they wish to continue their education.
For instance, candidates would need to get an equivalence of their Matric to Zimsec qualifications so as to know which level they have attained according to the educational system in Zimbabwe.
All examination boards have a standard that they abide by when conducting equivalence.
The syllabus of the country of origin and the syllabus of the country in which they wish to study are compared and contrasted. The assessment models and instruments are also used.
These standards are according to assessment standards set and regulated by the Southern African Association for Education Assessment (SAAEA), Association for Education Assessment for Africa (AEAA), and the International Association for Education Assessment (IAEA).
Dlamini said parents and guardians will be required to pay Equivalence of Qualifications which costs US$15 and is payable in local currency at the interbank rate of the day.
The process takes a maximum of 48 hours and learners must provide their original certificates awarded by the examining board.
Zimbabwe is expecting to receive tens of thousands of citizens in the coming months from South Africa when their ZEP permits expire. | The Sunday News