Nine Students Barred From Exam Over Hairstyles

Nine Students Barred From Exam Over Hairstyles — A Harare school is under investigation after blocking nine ZIMSEC O’ Level candidates from writing their Family and Religious Studies Paper 2 due to “inappropriate” hairstyles, Education Minister Torerayi Moyo has confirmed.

Moyo said the matter was brought before Cabinet, which was “deeply concerned” by the violation of learners’ rights.

ALSO READ: Zimbabwean Fake Nurse Who Treated Patients With Google Diagnoses Sentenced in UK for £170,000 Fraud

“The learners were unlawfully denied access to the exam. The headmaster and the school director have since been arrested for violating students’ fundamental rights,” Moyo said during a post-cabinet briefing.

The pupils had completed Paper 1 earlier that day.

After rushing to adjust their hair within 30 minutes, they returned only to be refused access because ZIMSEC’s grace period is 15 minutes.

To prevent academic disadvantage, authorities will award marks using an aggregate of the top and bottom four learners’ performance at the school.