Loadshedding, computers hampers Grade 9 ICT exams

By Staff Reporter 

Grade nine pupils across the country sat for their Information Communication Technology (ICT) practical examination yesterday. 

However, some schools in Kitwe and other districts were affected by loadshedding whereas other schools didn't have computers for the pupils to use. 

According to WM Media research some pupils left their respective homes in the morning and came back after midnight. 

In Kitwe some areas were loadshedded at 06am as per ZESCO schedule and power was only restored at 2pm. 

A guardian (name withheld) in Lusaka of Makeni township wondered how his little sister could have moved home after writing the exams. 

“I reached home around 23hrs only to be told that my little sis was not yet back from school where she had gone to write her ITC Exams and she left home around 08hrs,” adding that he quickly went to her school around 24hrs and she told him that she could write her exam at 01:30hrs. 

“Imagine that late, a pupil school at Kamwala and stays in Makeni, how would she move home? ” he laments. 

A Mr D.M Musonda, Deputy Headteacher at Chainda Primary School wrote a letter in advance to all concerned parents and guardians of pupils at his school requesting them to lend their children computers that they should use in the examination yesterday. 

“Since we do not have enough computers in school, we are requesting you to assist your child to use your computer (Desktop/Laptop). For security reasons, your child will use your computer and return it as soon as they finish their practical,” letter reads in part. 

Many schools across the country decided to hire computers from different stakeholders for the period pupils were writing the examinations in ICT. 

Meanwhile some pupils only came across and used a computer during the examination as their schools didn't have computers for the pupils to use during normal class lesson. 

The then Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education said it was compulsory for all Grade Nine pupils to write Information Communication and Technology (ICT) examinations although the subject would not be used for selection to Grade 10. 

Permanent secretary Chishimba Nkosha said this was because not all schools had been supplied with computers.