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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
A pupil tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday as Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) examinations for Ordinary and Advanced Levels resumed after a two-week break.

According to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the pupil learns in Nyazura, Manicaland province and was allowed to write under isolation with the learning institution being fumigated.

The last public exams will be written on January 31.

Due to Covid-19, 2021 public examinations spilled into this year and pupils had to return to school after the last papers were written on December 17.

Those in non-examination classes remain home after Government deferred schools opening from January 10 to a date yet to be announced due to the threat posed by the virus.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson, Mr Taungana Ndoro confirmed that one pupil tested Covid-19 positive as examinations resumed on Monday.

He said most probably the pupil was infected outside the school.

“There was one Covid-19 case in Nyazura. The student came with Covid-19 from home. We isolated the student and we are making sure the student writes in isolation. We have fumigated the school and all protocols are being observed,” said Mr Ndoro.

Yesterday, candidates sat for O-Level Tonga, Tshivenda, Shona, Nambya, Kalanga, Xichangana and Ndebele. Additional Mathematics was also written yesterday.

At A-Level pupils sat for Statistics, Literature in English, Chemistry and Theatre Arts.

Today A-Level pupils will be writing Geography and Communication Skills, while O-Level pupils will write Biology and Chemistry.

Because pupils in non-examination classes are yet to return to school, it has been easy for learning institutions to implement social distancing for those writing exams.

The schools’ calendar has been disrupted by the pandemic which forced schools to close for long periods from 2020 as part of measures to contain the spread of the virus.

When schools finally opened the learning time was reduced as pupils had to alternate after the size of classes was reduced to enable them to maintain social distance.

Some pupils tested Covid-19 positive at a number of schools.

Those at boarding schools had to wait until the required isolation period was over before they could go home.

As part of efforts to reduce the Covid-19 risk, medical authorities declared Sinopharm vaccine safe for children aged 16 and above and the Ministry of Health and Child Care sent teams to most secondary schools to vaccinate pupils in the age group.

Government has also come up with an e-learning strategy and radio lessons for pupils as part of measures to reduce human interaction in schools and a number of efforts were in place to give more pupils practical access to these lessons. —  @bonganinkunzi