By PASSY HAACHIZO –
THE Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) has said the use of serial numbers and other features on examination papers has enabled it to combat malpractices.
ECZ executive director Michael Chilala said the security measure which was introduced in 2013 was in a bid to retain the integrity of the examination body as people thought every examination had leakages.
Mr Chilala said in an interview that besides introducing those security features, ECZ was working with the Zambia Police Forensic Department which was helping in detecting teachers who wrote examinations on behalf of candidates.
Mr Chilala said in 2013, nine teachers were caught engaging in examination malpractices as compared to four.
He said the punishment meted out on culprits were not stiff enough to deter would be offenders but was hopeful that the revision of the law would make the penalties for exam malpractice perpetrators stiffer.
Mr Chilala said also that the examination centres were using strong rooms, while examination papers were taken on daily basis to those centres that did not have such facilities.
He said the GCE examinations were now sat during holidays in June and August where as the examinations for internal candidates continued to be conducted as usual.
