NEW DATES SET FOR DISRUPTED EXAMS

MBABANE – The Examinations Council of Eswatini has announced new dates for the Grade VII and Junior Certificate examination papers which were scheduled for yesterday and today.

According to the revised timetable issued by the Examination Council of Eswatini (ECESWA), the Grades VII Social Studies Paper II was shifted from yesterday to tomorrow (Thursday) at noon. The pupils will also sit for their Practical Arts and Technology paper on Friday at noon. The new date to sit for the English Paper II was shifted to Friday, December 16, 2022 at 8:30am, while French Paper I will be written tomorrow at 10am. On another hand, the JC affected papers which were supposed to be written yesterday (Tuesday, December 13, 2022) were shifted to tomorrow. The learners were scheduled to sit for their Additional Mathematics Paper I, which has since been moved to tomorrow at 1pm. The pupils will be writing their History Paper I at 9am, which was also supposed to have been written yesterday.

Furthermore, the English Language Paper II, which was set for today (Wednesday, December 14, 2022) has been pushed to Friday at 1pm. French Paper II, on the other hand, was rescheduled for Monday at 11:45am. ECESWA Communications Officer Hlengiwe Ndlovu stated that they issued the revised timetables after assessing the situation on the ground and realising that some candidates would not make it to the examination centres due to lack of transport. Ndlovu further urged the heads of centres and candidates to acquaint themselves with the revised timetables. In an interview with the Ministry of Education and Training Principal Secretary (PS), Bheki Gama, following the issuing of the revised timetables, he commended learners for making an effort to get to their respective schools despite challenges encountered. Gama also thanked teachers who showed up, adding that he was hoping that the situation would improve today.

Disapponted

SNAT Secretary General (SG) Lot Vilakati said they were disappointed by the manner government treated learners in the country. Vilakati said government did not prioritise pupils, something which was displayed in the manner they responded to yesterday’s situation. The SNAT SG stated that the issue of transport unavailability was announced a while ago and they informed parents to look after their children, as teachers would not be at school due to the transport challenges. “We were avoiding that parents would call us when their children encountered transport challenges, should they show up at their various schools.” He said they supported the Eswatini Schools Committee and Parents Association (ESCAPA), which called for parents not to send their children to school. Vilakati said pupils had also prepared for the examinations and government announced at the 11th hour that the papers had been shifted. This, he said, showed that government did not put children first in the country.

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