Power supply issues, an insufficient number of available computers and bureaucracy has forced authorities insisting on compulsory ICT examinations across Zambian schools to request that pupils share infrastructure.
The examinations started on 2 November and according to the Ministry of General Education "many schools" throughout the Southern African country have been affected.
Ministry spokesperson Hillary Chipango has since apologised over the manner in which the examinations have been conducted saying the Ministry faced challenges due to lack of computers and load shedding by the power utility Zesco.
Chipango said he will issue a comprehensive statement once a report is received from all districts.
It is understood that some schools only have five PCs for entire groups of learners. At Yotam Muleya primary school in the capital Lusaka, the lack of available infrastructure meant that pupils had to take turns using PCs and ended up having to write their ICT examinations around midnight.
In September this year, the Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZANUT) claimed that authorities had cancelled the mandatory ICT examinations because of failure to procure and distribute computers.
Other industry unions in the country warned the government not to rush into implementing the ICT examinations because things were not in order.
However, the government stated in October that pupils were ready and had been learning the subject for two years, and it would proceed with compulsory examinations.
Teachers have reacted with shock at the decision and said that authorities are aware that many schools have no computers.
Andrew Tembo, an ICT teacher at Chiwuyu primary school, said his institution has four computers and authorities had little choice but to request that where possible, pupils bring their own computers for the examination.
"We have close to 50 pupils who are sitting for the ICT examination at Chiwuyu primary school. The school only has four computers, which made it difficult to do the practical aspect of the examinations. So we asked those who could to bring their own computers," Tembo said.
Correspondence from Chainda primary school asked all parents and guardians to lend their children computers so that they could be able to sit for the examinations.
"Since we do not have enough computers in school, we are requesting you to assist your child to use your computer. For security reasons, your child will use your computer and return it as soon as they finish their practical. We have also hired some computers," reads the letter.
Computers for Zambian Schools, a local company that sales both new and used computers to academic institutions, said the embarrassing situation was avoidable.
Company marketing manager Amos Kalunga blamed government saying it was slow to purchase computers for schools.
"We have been having meetings after meetings with the government officials even offering them huge discounts on computers, but they have been slow buying from us even when they knew pupils would be sitting for examinations this year. This is now a scandal," Kalunga said.
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