Moffat Mungazi
Liberty Dube
Post Correspondent
DRAMA continues to unfold at the beleaguered Knowstics Academy in Mutasa as it has emerged this week that several learners had their Cambridge Ordinary Level examination results withheld after the previous administration failed to remit US$22 000 exam fees to the British Council.
The unpaid amount is now causing issues for learners who sat for the Cambridge examinations, as the British Council has strict policies regarding payment and refunds.
This crisis has arisen at a critical time as O-Level learners are scheduled to start their Advanced Level studies next Monday, following Government’s gazetting of January 27 as the opening date for all lower sixth learners.
Acting Manicaland Provincial Education Director (PED), Mr Richard Gabaza confirmed the sad development, adding that he has since deployed a team to investigate the matter.
A circular dated January 16, 2025, addressed to parents and stakeholders, which The Manica Post has obtained, reveals that Knowstics Academy’s corporate rescue practitioner, Mr Bhudhama Chikamhi, attributed the delay in communicating this matter to the fact that he had initially believed the situation was under control.
“The purpose of this communique is to advise parents and stakeholders that British Council has not released the Form Four Cambridge results due to the fact that the former management of the school appear to have embezzled the examination fees. The examination fees paid by the parents were not remitted to the British Council. I have been having meetings with the officials of British Council, and was hoping to resolve the matter so that they could release the results today (January 16) at 9am, but we ended up spending the entire day having discussions with the officials, and up to now (11pm), I am still waiting to get their final position regarding release of the results.
“ . . . the action recommended by the attorneys will require a few students represented by their parents to make an urgent chamber application to compel British Council to release the results. The school will be responsible for the payment of legal fees for the urgent chamber application. I will give British Council up to 11am tomorrow (January 17), and if the matter is not resolved by then, I will engage the lawyers so that we map the way forward, which will be communicated to stakeholders.”
“ . . . however, my primary focus at the moment is to pursue options aimed at causing British Council to release the O-Level Cambridge results, and thereafter attend to the matter involving what appears to be a case of theft of trust funds.
The reason for the delay in communicating this matter to the parents and stakeholders was due to the fact that I believed the matter was under control, given that I negotiated the release of the Advanced Level results.
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The British Council released the A-Level results and was expecting that they were going to do the same with the O-Level results, especially after we had a long meeting with the officials, after which I subsequently effected a part payment of the outstanding amount,” reads the notice.
The British Council regional head of communications for Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Chengetai Mujakachi said the school owes the council a significant amount of US$22 000 in outstanding examination fees.
“The British Council acknowledges the frustration and concerns of students and parents of Knowstics Academy regarding the delayed release of the Cambridge ‘O’ Level examination results. Knowstics Academy is in breach of contract with the British Council, and there is a total of US$22 000 in outstanding examination fees which have not been paid by the school’s management to the British Council. Despite several assurances from the corporate rescuer overseeing the school’s operations, full payment remains outstanding and no assurance of dates for payment has been received. We continue to engage with the school’s corporate rescuer and are urging payment of the $22 000 in fees owing. The British Council remains committed to supporting students in their academic progress,” read part of the statement.
