Back to Index

Silence abets oppression and exacerbates suffering
Comment, The Standard (Zimbabwe)
December 10, 2006

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/viewinfo.cfm?linkid=21&id=5453

NOTHING demonstrates the state of trauma afflicting Zimbabweans and their sense of fatalism more than the plight of examination markers.

The Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) in a brazen show of contempt has decided to pay a miserly $70 to examiners for each script they mark for this year’s November-December Ordinary Level papers.

The markers know perfectly well that the payment is a pittance and an insult. They grumble but then continue marking the examination papers, even though there is no coercion. Somehow they expect someone to bring about the change they desire but are not prepared to stand up for.

Instead of protesting that the marking fee is totally inadequate, the examiners prefer being apologetic and instead are comfortable suggesting that this insensitivity on the part of Zimsec might compromise the quality of the marking. The markers are professionally committed but do not have the courage to say they will not be party to their own exploitation.

While the examiners – who are teachers – know that this is outright exploitation they do not seem to realise that if they withdrew their services until their demands were met, they would achieve the desired results. Their sense of helplessness is worsened by their own absence of unity, a shared goal and vision.

While conceding the amounts are less than the transport costs incurred, none of them is prepared to say their services are worth more than Zimsec thinks and that failure to recognise this point will result in no one marking examination scripts. As long as there is a reservoir of people willing and able to offer themselves for exploitation there will be no pressure on Zimsec to get real and start paying reasonable amounts for the services of the markers.

Zimsec does not provide transport and accommodation for the examiners.

"Examiners, please note that you can only accept this invitation on condition that you have or can find your own accommodation close to the marking centre. The Council will not be responsible for any accommodation expenses incurred by examiners who accept this invitation," says Zimsec’s letter to examiners.

In Harare, the marking started on Friday at Prince Edward High School and is expected run until 18 December.

Happy Ndanga, the Zimsec director says the examiners are free to stop marking if they are unhappy with the payments.

According to Ndanga, "If they don’t want to mark for us, they should just do that and stop tarnishing our image."

With such an approach to handling human resources it is no wonder Zimsec is in such an unprecedented mess. Zimsec’s record speaks for itself. Sadly there are no indicators to an improvement anytime in the near future. Their propensity to mess up is legendary.

But it is not only among the examiners that the victim complex is pervasive. A fortnight ago, the ruling party signalled its intention to extend President Robert Mugabe’s term of office from 2008 to 2010. Since then every other province has joined in the chorus. Yet according to the 2002 Presidential election not every Zimbabwean shares this view.

No one among those in the ruling party, alarmed by this development, has the courage to protest. Not even civil society organisations and the opposition. Yet they all agree that it is inconceivable for Zimbabwe to endure more years of Mugabe’s rule beyond 2008.

Zimbabweans are their own worst enemies and they should not complain when the Zanu PF people’s conference due to take place in Goromonzi this week adopts a resolution that Mugabe remains in power beyond his mandate. Their silence aids and abets their oppression and exacerbates the country’s suffering.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP