The Minister of Education, Arts, and Culture has advised Grade 12 learners and candidates who have not registered for the 2020 final national examinations to do so in 2021 as an alternative way to obtain their National Senior Secondary Certificates. Anna Nghipondoka in a media statement explained that such learners and candidates are now putting the ministry under pressure to allow them to register, as the registration period already ended in April 2020. She said due to the extended lockdown on account of COVID-19, the registration period was further extended to 18 May 2020 to allow candidates to register and verify their detail and the subjects they have registered to write as well as their preferred fields of studies or level. “In the event where a candidate’s information has been entered wrongly for a wrong subject or level, these candidates have to urgently engage the examination centre where they have registered to write examination so that they be guided through the process of verifications and amendment. Each inquiry will be addressed on merit and evidence of the initial registration process,” said Nghipondoka. She added that amended Admission Permits will be made available through the respective examination centres, and due to public concern, the issue was discussed and clarified with the Office of the Ombudsman. “We must be cautious that the above problems could have been avoided should the candidates and the schools, examination centres have duly respected and honoured the prescribed timelines and written guidelines on this process of verification of candidates’’ registration,” expressed Nghipondoka. She further added that the public must take note that the Data Management System is closed for any changes after the final statistics are produced for the printing of question papers. Which is important for the credibility of the examination that only required several question papers based on total subjects entries that are produced, and producing additional copies of question papers at a later stage like now is not permitted. -NAMPA