Delay of exam results reduced

The Rhodesia Herald,

16 January, 1974 MORE than 8 000 pupils who wrote O, M and A-level examinations last year will get their results from England, where their papers are being marked, early next month.

The announcement yesterday by the Secretary for Education, Mr JAC Houlton, means there will be ample time for the results to be sent to universities before the opening of the first term.

It will be welcome news for other school-leavers who faced the threat of having their employment prospects seriously disrupted by delayed results.

Mr Houlton said he had received a further communication from the secretary of the Associated Examining Board in Aldershot, saying that the delay should not be more than about two weeks.

Results can therefore be expected early in February.

Those affected comprise about 5 000 who wrote O-level examinations, 2 200 (M-level) and 1 000 (A-level).

According to the secretary of the AEB, Mr HO.Childs, the delay is the result of Britain’s three-day working week and the disruption of postal and transport services.

Mr Childs originally told the Ministry of Education that severe delays could be expected, but a Rhodesian Government statement yesterday, said the situation was a good deal better than had been expected.

There was no word on the position regarding results for more than 4 000 Africans who wrote the Cambridge School Certificate and Cambridge Higher School Certificate exams last year.

Earlier this month a spokesman for the Ministry of Education (African Division) said: “No communication has been received from the Cambridge examiners to indicate that results will not be received on time.”

LESSONS FOR TODAY

◆ The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council released Advanced level results last week.

◆ Although some students still prefer to write the Cambridge Higher Schools examinations, this does not in any way mean that the local examinations board is not doing well. Random comments show that Zimsec’s examinations are more difficult than those by Cambridge.

◆ Zimbabwe’s education is highly ranked not only on the continent, but globally.

◆ There are enough universities in the country to absorb a large number of students although some will go and study abroad. The education 5.0 model is a major attraction in higher education.