Exams go on smoothly

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Monday October 4, 2010 00:00

 

The minister thanked the public and teachers who responded to adverts by the Examinations Council calling for invigilators.

It was feared that things would grind to a standstill today especially since teachers’ trade unions have been urging members to snub the invigilation.

The minister assured parents that everything is being done to ensure that the pupils at the remaining 15 schools also write the examinations.

Eight hundred primary schools across the country start writing the examinations today and the minister says members of the public, retired teachers, as well as individual teachers have come forward to show interest in invigilating.

She also says that the invigilators have already been orientated for the job by the Botswana Examinations Council (BEC).

The minister was on television on Friday night assuring sceptical parents who raised a number of concerns ahead of the commencement of the primary school examinations.

The minister said parent teacher associations (PTAs) wanted the minister to assure them that their pupils will be able to write the examinations.

The minister called upon the pupils to cooperate with the invigilators. The trade unions have urged members of the public and teachers to ignore advertisements recruiting people for invigilating.

Last year, the teachers unions went to court and got an order ruling that invigilation is not the responsibility of teachers.

Minister Venson-Moitoi echoed the court ruling and added that her ministry believes that even though invigilation is not the teachers’ responsibility, the ministry can invite them as individuals .

The BOSETU publicity secretary says the minister did not tell the nation the whole truth. Mogomotsi Motshegwa claims BOSETU has done its own research and  found that the majority of the invigilators are Form V leavers who know nothing about the job.

He added that they will struggle in practical subjects just as it has been the case with the Home Economics examinations which is still yet to be concluded. Motshegwa also says BOSETU feels it is not good for the pupils to be invigilated by strangers.

The pupils should be invigilated by their teachers, he argued. Motshegwa also said he feels the ministry is spending a lot of money sending new recruits to all corners of the country.

He believes the money could have been used to improve invigilation and exam marking fees for the teachers instead.

The BOSETU spokesman also said they are contemplating another court action against BTV after the television refused them the “right of reply” to the minister’s Friday announcement.