King David S6 candidates’ fate in the balance

KICUKIRO - A group of 17 senior six students from King David Academy in Nyarugunga Sector, Kicukiro District requested the government to intervene so they do not miss their year’s examinations. The affected students are pursuing a combination of Physics, Economics and Mathematics (PEM), which they have learnt is no longer one of the combinations listed with the Rwanda National Examination Council (RNEC). Speaking to The New Times at the school, Apollo Shema, one of the students said:“We are at the moment very worried and isolated because we don’t know our fate concerning whether we will be able to sit for this year’s national examinations”. It was this February that the school learnt that PEM was not among the combinations in the national curriculum. It was only after the administration of King David Academy received a book showing the list of combinations supposed to be registered for national examinations. The headmaster, Brian Kasawuli, delegated the director of studies to discuss the issue with RNEC He hoped that the council would make some changes in the timetable to enable the students to sit for the examinations. “We thought and believed that PEM was automatically among the combinations in the curriculum list since it’s an old combination but on the other hand, we regret our misconception,” Kasawuli said. He added that the reason why RNEC did not include PEM among the combinations is that Physics and Economics papers are done on the same time and date. Kasawuli noted though that last term, the school made a list of the combinations it offers, which was sent to the Kicukiro District but never received feedback suggesting that PEM was missing among the combinations accepted by the curriculum body. “If the examination council fails to solve the issue, the school will opt to help the affected students to join other related combinations like Mathematics, Economics and Geography,” said Kasawuli. When contacted, John Rutayisire of RNEC said that when a school wants to start a new combination, it must first write to the Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary education. “The minister then gives the school the authority only after a report of the inspectorate of education. King David Academy never did that,” Rutayisire said. The Director General of the RNCDC, Charles Gahima believes that the school management and the RNEC can solve the issue together. “We have no problem allowing the PEM students to sit for their examinations because all the books and other required materials are available,” remarked Gahima. “It’s just a matter of adding PEM to the list of combinations we offer and inform concerned bodies” he added Ends