Back to school for Lower Sixth learners

Mukudzei Chingwere

Herald Reporter

THIS year’s Lower Sixth class will start their Advanced Level studies on Monday next week, Government has said.

The quick return to classes comes as the Government moves in to maximise available learning time as well as keep the learners away from societal ills to which they are likely to fall victim due to continued idle time.

The A-Level beginners calendar year starts immediately on the back of them having their 2024 Ordinary Level public examination results which Zimsec released last week.

In the past, this group of learners would be afforded more time between the release of their O-Level results and lower six class start.

But the Government has quickly moved in to ensure that the predominantly teenage learners are kept busy and safe.

The Government has also reminded school authorities and parents that fees – be it tuition or boarding – will be paid on a pro-rata basis, which will see the incoming learners pay less than their counterparts who started classes earlier in the month.

Giving the start date, Permanent Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education Mr Moses Mhike said: “Please ensure that all heads of schools, teachers, parents and pupils are advised of this date”.

Schools have to calculate the pro rata fees by multiplying the number of days remaining in the first term by the first term fees and then divide by the total number of days in that first term.

“It is illegal and a criminal offence to withhold learners’ results,” said Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Mr Taungana Ndoro. “Remember Zimsec results are a contract between the student and the council, and this service would have been paid for, so why withhold those results?”

He said school fees are a contract between a parent and the school, and if there are arrears, schools should deal with parents, not learners.

“There are ways even the legal route at the disposal of schools to get their money. So, we have talked about this many times that public examination results cannot be used by schools to force fee payment. That is illegal and must not be allowed to happen so any such cases should be reported,” said Mr Ndoro.