By Leroy Dzenga
University of Zimbabwe medical students who last year refused to sit for their final examinations are back on campus.
The medical class of 2019 last year told university authorities they had not received requisite practical training to go through the final assessment before their field internship.
The matter spilled into court where both parties were advised to find a mutually agreeable solution.
After the court case, the university senate assembled a taskforce, which ascertained that the students had not consumed enough course content to be credibly examined.
As universities reopened after the outbreak of Covid-19, the class of 203 students was recalled to campus to complete their studies.
University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Prof Paul Mapfumo confirmed their return saying: “The class is back on campus to do the practical aspect, which they said they had lacked last year when they were supposed to write exams. They are covering up for lost time.”
Prof Mapfumo said the students would write their examinations in September when they would have adequately prepared.
The exam snag, which coincided with last year’s lengthy medical doctors’ strike was muddied by political activists who linked it to the industrial action.
One of the students who spoke to The Herald said contrary to what was said, they were not part of the doctors’ strike.
“The whole issue was politicised unnecessarily. We heard some saying we did not write our examinations because we were in solidarity with striking doctors. That is not true,” the student said.
They said last year’s medical sector strike actually caused the deferment of their graduation by a year. The Herald
