GOVT OWES OVCS EXAM FEES AS DEADLINE PASSES

MBABANE – With external examinations around the corner, government has not paid examination fees for orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) at all levels; Grade VII, Form III and Form V.

This is despite the fact that the deadline set by the Examination Council of Eswatini (ECESWA) has elapsed. Worth noting is that a late payment fee is required for all pupils who have not paid on time. Late payment fee for Eswatini Primary Certificate (EPC) attracts E200 per candidate, while for the Junior Certificate (Form III) is E250. Eswatini General Certificate for Secondary Education (EGCSE) examination is E600 per candidate. The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training, Bhekithemba Gama, confirmed that they had not yet paid for the examinations. Gama said the late entry penalty would be factored in during the settlement of the debt.

Responding on why government had delayed payments for external exams, Gama said what was important was that they had to pay at some point. He stated that the ECESWA would receive their payment eventually. According to Gama, government made an undertaking on how the payment would be made.

Arrangement

The PS said government had an arrangement with ECESWA on the payment part for OVCs. “Every parent has a challenge; others opt to pay in instalments and others at a later stage.”
Gama said schools should practice patience and understand the situation that the country was going through financially. “Financially, the country is in a very bad state,” the PS said.
Gama said the issue of finance cut across and there should be no finger-pointing to government as other parents were also struggling to pay as well. He said government was also a struggling parent at times.

When reached for comment on the issue of delayed payments for learners expected to sit for their external examinations, Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General (SG) Sikelela Dlamini said it was causing anxiety for the pupils. Dlamini also added that the pupils were going through instability of the mind as to whether they would eventually sit for the examinations or not. This, he stated, was due to the fact that only learners who paid for the examinations would be allowed into the examination room. Further, he said the deadline had elapsed and ECESWA would be expected to produce papers as per the numbers of learners who had paid. “Pupils who have not paid do not get exam papers. We do not know how government will be able to succumvent that,” said the SNAT SG.

Doom

Dlamini said this spelt doom for the learners’ future and meant something should be done by government to ensure that the situation was prevented. Swaziland Association of Schools Administrators (SASA) SG Siphasha Dlamini said the situation was very unfortunate. Siphasha said all they could do was encourage government to pay as ECESWA was a structure under the Ministry of Education and Training. She said what they prayed for was for the external examination not to be disturbed. Siphasha said they were trying hard that next year, things normalised and the term should not be longer than expected. This, she said, disturbed the register which was rigid to three terms. Meanwhile, ECESWA has maintained that the payments for examination fees are going smoothly. ECESWA’s Communications Officer Hlengiwe Ndlovu was requested to give an update on how the payments for external examinations were going. However, she said the deadline for the payments had elapsed.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: