Grade 7 Examination Markers Still To Be Paid

Comment & Analysis
GOVERNMENT is yet to pay over $120 million to each teacher who marked Grade 7 examinations throughout the country three weeks after they completed the job.

GOVERNMENT is yet to pay over $120 million to each teacher who marked Grade 7 examinations throughout the country three weeks after they completed the job.

The Reserve Bank had promised to pay in cash the teachers as soon as they finished marking the examinations. The Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (Zimsec) had also assured the teachers of prompt payment.  

Zimsec national director Happy Ndanga confirmed that the teachers were yet to receive the payment, but was quick to say the central bank was working towards paying what was due to the markers.

Each marker was to be paid $12 million daily to cover breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedding for the six-day work.

In addition, every teacher was promised $175 000 per script marked and was expected to mark 320 scripts.

The average amount a marker was expected to receive for marking the recommended number of scripts and the six-day allowances was $128 million.

The affected teachers told the Zimbabwe Independent this week that they have been visiting Zimsec to get their payment since they completed the marking without success.

“Before we commenced the marking of examinations we were promised to be paid all the money in cash and on the day of completion of the marking exercise,” one of the teachers said. “After we finished marking, that is when we heard that the money was not available.”

Zimsec boss Ndanga said the teachers should be patient.

 

“We are still in the process of finalising the payments and the reason why we have delays is that markers want to be paid in cash and the central bank is overwhelmed with the number of cash applications,” Ndanga said. “We are urging the markers to be patient.”

He said Zimsec was doing its best to liaise with the central bank to provide the cash, but if that fails the markers would be paid by cheque.

The markers also complained that the RBZ had failed to pay them in full for invigilating the Grade 7 examinations despite central bank governor Gideon Gono’s promise to pay in cash. 

“The RBZ promised to pay us $4 million each for invigilating the examinations, but we were only paid $1 million in cash and the rest is still outstanding,” another teacher said. “I think we were foolish to agree to mark when there were still outstanding payments.”

Zimbabwe is facing a serious cash crisis that has resulted in companies and individuals demanding cash payments for goods and services rendered.

By Loughty Dube