By MUNAMBEZA MUWANEI –

THE Zambia Association of the Blind (ZAB) has given the Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) a five-week ultimatum to release grade 12 results for the visually-impaired candidates who sat for 2014 and 2015 examinations or be taken to court.
The Sunday Times has discovered that the visually-impaired candidates who sat for the grade 12 examinations both at School Certificate and General Certificate of Education (GCE) levels in 2014 countrywide have to date not received their results, including those who sat for this year’s GCE.
ZAB social secretary Clement Chanda, who confirmed this, said his association would seek legal intervention because the results had delayed, thus creating anxiety among the candidates.
“ECZ has not released the results for visually-impaired candidates who sat for the 2014 and 2015 grade 12 examinations. This is so depressing, that is why we want to take the matter to court if they don’t release the results by December 31, 2015,” Mr Chanda said.
Mr Chanda wondered why the ECZ had problems in releasing results for the visually-impaired candidates when the country had a lot of qualified teachers who were capable of reading examinations prepared in Braille.
He alleged that the ECZ had not been serious in handling examination results for the visually-impaired candidates, hence failure to release the results.
Mr Chanda said following the delay in releasing the results, the visually-impaired were now being stigmatised and considered incompetent and dull, which had also led to delayed progression to pursue further studies.
When contacted for a comment, ECZ information education and communication specialist Ronald Tembo said he would only be able to give a comprehensive response after verifying with the relevant departments.
“Well I can’t give an answer right now but will only respond after verifying with relevant officials in respective departments,” Mr Tembo said.