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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Government has extended the deadline for the payment of examination fees for Ordinary Level up to the end of this month for June exams, while for November, April 9 is the last day.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema said Government will subsidise up to seven subjects for O’ Level and three subjects for A’ Level candidates.

Minister Mathema said this in the National Assembly on Wednesday while giving a Ministerial statement on examination fees.

The announcement followed Government’s decision to pay 53 percent of the exam fees per subject.

The new fee structure will now see parents paying $90 per subject for O’ Level with those sitting for A’ Level paying $165.

“I would like to advise members that the new deadlines for the payment of examination fees are 30th of March, 2020, for the June examination and the 9th April, 2020 for the November examination. Parents and guardians who had paid the full examination fees will be refunded the amount now being contributed by Government,” said Minister Mathema.

“Candidates who are currently at Government schools who get Government support for a subject for the June examination will pay the full fees for the same subject if they enter for it again for the November examination. The Government will pay for up to seven subjects at O’ Level and three subjects at A’ Level. Candidates who want to sit for more subjects at each level will meet the full fees of those subjects themselves.”

Legislators expressed reservations over the deadline which they said did not give parents enough time given the revised fees.

Uzumba MP Cde Simba Mudarikwa (Zanu-PF) asked the logic of limiting the subsidy to seven subjects for O’ Level given that some students had been studying between 10 and 12 subjects for the past four years.

Proportionate Representative MP Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (MDC-T) said the revised fees were still very high and parents with three children writing Grade Seven, O’ and A’ Level would require about $1 300 as examination fees.

Minister Mathema said it was important to realise that the $15 exam fees, was initially pegged in United States dollars.