NRCs compulsory for grade twelve examination

Government says it is mandatory for every all grade twelve examination candidates to hold a National Registration Cards (NRCs).

And Muchinga province has been ranked sixth in the country having recorded 52 percent Grade 9 examination results.

Education Standard Officer (ESO) for General Inspections, Susan Kalumba says all schools must ensure that Grade Twelve pupils are in possession of an NRC when sitting for exams as directed by the Education Council of Zambia (ECZ).

Ms. Kalumba says in the previous years, levels of impersonations were high in most of the schools and that is why the ministry has introduced this policy for security purposes so as to curb the vice.

ZANIS reports that the Education Standard Officer (ESO) for General Inspections to have said this in an interview in Chinsali yesterday.

She stated that the possession of both NRC and student identity card will be of great help in harnessing the high levels of malpractice during exams.

She said that pupils are fully aware of the use of the NRC during examinations, as they have been fully sensitized through Career masters in their respective schools.

Ms. Kalumba charged that the ministry wants to curtail the behaviour of enrolling under age children adding that children enrolled under age face challenges in future.

She said the required age standard for enrolling pupils to Grade one is 7 years and above.

Meanwhile, Muchinga province has been ranked sixth in the country having recorded 52 percent Grade 9 examination results.

Ms. Kalumba said though the performance was not very good, the ministry in the province is happy with the ranking.

She said this is a good start for the new province since the ministry became operational in July last year.

The ESO stated that the just released Grade 9 examination results in Muchinga Province are a true reflection because the province did not record any malpractice at the time pupils were writing the examinations.

She observed that the pupil- teacher relationship is a tool to yield good results and that Is why the ministry in the province has taken it upon itself to monitor and ensure that teachers work hard to deliver quality education.

Ms. Kalumba has since encouraged pupils who did not perform well last year to repeat and those who have made it to Grade 10 but have no financial muscle to visit various sponsors to seek financial support.