By Kefiloe Kajane
The Examinations Council of Lesotho (Ecol) is ready for examinations as timetables have been released for all external classes which will be sitting for examinations from November.
Despite the challenge of schools having been closed since the beginning of the second quarter, Ecol says timetables have been released for grade seven, Junior Certificate (JC) and Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary Education (LGCSE).
Ecol director Mokhitli Khoabane told theReporter yesterday that Ecol is more than prepared for students to sit for exams. He said LGCSEs are expected to write in December, JCs in November while grade sevens will write in the last week of November.
He emphasized that Ecol is ready to administer the exams but that will depend on whether schools will reopen.
“As a matter of fact, we would even be ready if exams were to be written at the usual time. We’re just waiting for the government to reopen the schools but on our part everything is set. The dates that we have set, were set with the assumption that schools will open in August. We are now waiting for government to make a decision.
“Compared to last year, the number of students that paid and registered for the examinations has gone down. It is understandable because the schools are closed and we know that parents will be skeptical to pay anything related to education while schools are closed,” Khoabane said.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro in July said schools would remain closed under the orange level restrictions that the country is currently under.
School closed doors in early March this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the government introduced television and radio shows that help educate students while at home.
Many students raised their concerns that although the government is trying, being taught on television or radio is not working for them because they cannot ask questions or interact with the teachers.
Many countries such as South Africa tried to reopen schools but were forced to close down again as Covid-19 infections among teachers and learners surged.
