By Kolopu Waima
More than 10,000 students who sat for exams last year and are continuing their education this year either in tertiary or secondary and national high schools have not been given their certificates.
These are students in grades 8, 10 and 12 last year who are now in grades 9, 11 and universities and colleges.
The schools have completed their term one break and now are into week two of second term and parents and students are still waiting. They are confused about when their children will get their certified certificates.
The Secretary of the Department of Education Dr Musawe Sinebare earlier this year said in a statement that not all certificates have not been printed. They will not be until new blank certificates with security features are printed and returned to the department by March 2012, Dr Sinebare said.
The secretary also said that the measurement services unit will issue a Temporary Statement of results (TOR) for all students who have completed grades 8, 10 and 12 which will be valid until April 30, 2012.
The month of March has already passed and April and now after two days in May students are still waiting.
The schools and parents contacted yesterday confirmed that their students are still waiting for school certificates. Jubilee secondary school was among many schools that were contacted yesterday.
And the deputy principal Antonia Olando, in a telephone interview said that she did not want to make further comments but said the students are still waiting for their certificates.
She said that they did not get any information from the Measurement Services Unit (MSU) or the National Department of education so do not want to comment further why the certificates are yet to print.
A parent, Benny Paraka, also said that his son who completed grade 8 in a primary school is still waiting for the certificate.
However, some of the technical reasons, the secretary for education said in March this year was that there were faced with the processing of certificates were change of signature where the former Education Secretary Dr Joseph Pagelio’s signature had to be destroyed and new ones printed under Dr Sinebare’s signature because midway through the examination schedules Dr Musawe Sinebare (PhD) was appointed by the National Executive Council (NEC) as the new Education Secretary, sourcing of new funds, new printing contract and security features.
When contacting the department of education to get the Secretary’s comment, the department said he is on sick leave.
Source: Post Courier