Is it true that the O’ Level Geography paper written on 8 December, 2020 had maps missing?
Verdict: The maps were there but there are some centres did not collect them from ZIMSEC
CITE reached out to the Zimbabwe Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) spokesperson, Nicolette Dhlamini, who said while maps were available, there are some centres that did not collect them.
“First of all I don’t want to listen to what Mr Temba Mliswa said,” Dhlamini told CITE.
“However, there are some centres that did not have the maps because they did not collect the envelopes that had the maps but the maps were available. But that didn’t mean they did not write the exam.”
She further explained: “The maps were available. The only difference was that the maps were not in the same envelopes as the question papers this year; it was done differently.”
Source: Member of Parliament (MP) for Norton Constituency, Temba Mliswa.
Background: In a Parliament of Zimbabwe National Assembly Hansard dated 9 December 2020, Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa, is quoted saying an Ordinary Level Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) Geography paper written on the previous day did not have a map accompanying it.
The Hansard thus quotes Mliswa as follows:
HON. T. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, the question I have to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education is a very disturbing one. I have just been informed in my constituency that the ‘O’ level Geography examination that was written yesterday had no map in the entire country and they proceeded to write examinations without a map and it is Geography. May the responsible Minister respond as to why they went ahead with examinations for Geography ‘O’ level without a map?
O’ Level Geography paper 1 has a section where candidates answer questions based on a portion of the Zimbabwean map which comes inserted into the question papers.
