Student takes Zimsec head-on over seized results

A 2020 O-Level student, Ashley Mutandwa, has taken the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) head-on following the seizure of her results on allegations on examination cheating.

Zimsec has withheld Mutandwa’s examination results claiming that she illegally accessed the November 2020 Mathematics paper 2 question paper before entering the examination room at Intellect College in Norton.

She has denied the allegation and challenged Zimsec to prove its case.

Through her lawyer, Alex Majachani, Mutandwa has written to the examination body in a letter dated June 21 also copied to Intellect College, Mashonaland West provincial director, district school’s inspector and Mashonaland West Zimsec regional manager, denying the allegations levelled against her. She is demanding the release of her results.

“I am writing this letter deeply moved and disturbed by the determination you took to withhold my Mathematics O-Level results,” part of the letter read.

“I strongly reject and refuse totally the allegations you are levelling against me. I did not see or have access to the alleged Mathematics paper which was circulating on social media.”

She said she performed badly in her Mathematics paper 1 because she wrote the examination grieving over the loss of her neighbour, Gogo Gava Rusariya Tapererwa, who was buried the same day.

“I set the examination on the date of her burial and I was heavily depleted, but did write the examination as a fulfilment,” she said.

“The outstanding performance in paper 2, written on December 10 2020, is a result of me gaining my strength, motivation a week after the loss. The performance exhibited in the paper is complementary to my few revision tests.”

“My presentation and workings in the exam is clear testimony that I did not cheat, but had prepared thoroughly. I absolutely pronounce that I did not breach the Zimsec Act section 34, subsection 1 and paragraph C of 1994. May your board reconsider its determination and release my results.”

Yesterday, through her lawyer, Mutandwa also wrote to Zimsec assistant director identified as Mashingaidze, demanding release of the results. Both Mashingaidze and Zimsec spokesperson Nick Dlamini were not reachable for comment yesterday.