Govt subsidy cuts exam fees for public schools
subsidy will cover up to seven subjects at Ordinary Level and four subjects at Advanced Level, including communication Skills.
Harare- PUBLIC school students in Zimbabwe will pay less for the 2024 Ordinary and Advanced Level exams, as the government announced a subsidy on Friday to promote equal access to education, the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) said.
The Government will pay 55% of the fees per subject for candidates in public, local authority and mission schools, while those in private schools and colleges will pay the full cost, Zimsec said in a circular.
The fees are US$24 for each Ordinary Level subject and US$48 for each Advanced Level subject, the circular said.
The subsidy will cover up to seven subjects at Ordinary Level and four subjects at Advanced Level, including Communication Skills.
Candidates who want to take more subjects will have to pay the full fees for the extra ones, as well as additional fees for practical subjects and amendments, the circular said.
Zimsec advised centres to deposit fees in foreign currency into designated accounts to avoid bank charges, and to pay in local currency during specified periods. Late payments will incur extra fees, the circular said.
The decision aims to ease the financial burden on students and their families and ensure equal access to education, Zimsec said. It hopes the subsidy will encourage more public school students to pursue their academic goals.
Zimbabwe has long struggled with a severe challenge of unequal access to education, as many children are hindered by financial, infrastructural, and socio-cultural barriers. In some remote areas, children still walk up to 10 km to and from school, due to the shortage of schools in the country.
Source: Zimetro
