Source: Fake Cambridge exams: Parents call on police to act – herald
Trust Freddy-Check Point Desk
PARENTS and guardians of 16 learners from Destiny Achievers College in Harare have called on the police to take action over an alleged examination scam involving fake Cambridge Ordinary-Level as the suspects remain unaccountable despite the case being reported.
The parents and guardians are growing increasingly concerned as the College’s proprietor Ms Cynthia Gambiza seems to be evading contact, with her phone consistently unanswered and possibly switched off.
After allegedly embezzling funds meant for Cambridge November examinations last year, the school promised to allow them to write in June this year.
This was, however, not to be, as the students were reportedly made to write a fake June Cambridge Ordinary Level examination to make up for missed exams last year, prejudicing them of US$11 000 in exam fees.
The alleged scam was exposed when students discovered that the Mathematics question paper they sat for was identical to the previous year’s, which they had just revised, with only the cover page bearing a new date.
It also emerged that the school allegedly rented a venue and conducted the fake examination, having told parents that they had partnered with a Cambridge-registered institution to facilitate the students’ exams.
The group of 16 were among the 30 who reported the case last year, but were convinced by the college authorities that they would be given a chance to make up for the missed exams this June.
These students were initially scheduled to sit for the November exams but were informed at the last minute that they would not be able to take the exams due to the school’s alleged error in not submitting their national identity documents, which complicated the registration process.
The school promised parents that their children would have another opportunity to take the exam this year.
However, seven parents who lost faith in the school’s excuse demanded reimbursement last year and reported the case to the police after the school failed to refund them.
The case is already before the court, and Ms Cynthia Gambiza, proprietor of Destiny Achievers College, appeared in court in January facing charges of defrauding students of US$4 000 in Cambridge exam fees.
She is still under trial. Parents and guardians, who paid term fees of US$650 and exam fees of between US$600 and $1 000, are calling for the school authorities to be prosecuted for fraud and refund the fees.
“We reported the case to Borrowdale Police Station under case number RRB 6368544 in May, but we are yet to receive any response from the police,” Mr Samson Nyamagodo, father to pupil Clayton said.
“I had paid US$1 000 and that is a substantial amount of money that cannot just vanish. The proprietor should just sell her assets and refund our money.”
When Check Point reached Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, Harare provincial police spokesperson, last week, he clarified that the RRB number the parents provided was not related to the Cambridge exam controversy. He said that the case number actually referred to a separate issue involving staff members who were allegedly misled about the school covering their children’s exam fees.
Following the scandal, the school proprietor reportedly collapsed and has been receiving treatment at a private hospital in Mandara.
“When we called the school’s direct office line, we were informed that the proprietor, Ms Gambiza, had collapsed and was hospitalised. The school indicated that they were unable to take any action due to her hospitalisation. However, upon learning that she had been discharged, we promptly notified the police.”
Mr Piniel Nzvenga, another parent, shared similar concerns, saying they were hopeful that justice would be served.
“Since May, no one has been arrested,’ he said. ‘I got a call from Borrowdale Police station asking if Ms Gambiza had been discharged, and we confirmed that she had.”
Mr Nzvenga had paid $800, hoping that his child would be able to sit for the exams.
Another parent, who wished to remain anonymous and had paid $800, said, “I haven’t received any communication from the police since I reported the incident.”
Further investigation revealed that after the alleged fund embezzlement last November, the school proprietor persuaded some parents that their children required additional preparation, necessitating a delay until June.
Other parents were informed that their children had incorrectly registered for the November exams.
When contacted for comment, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, who was out of Harare at the time, promised to investigate the case, stating that he needed to be properly briefed on this matter.
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