The introduction of Examination of Zambia Council Service Centres is a great initiative for our country.The service centres serve a great number of purposes of which one is the combination of major examinations results such as Grade 9 and Grade 12 for people who have re-sat and improved their marks in subjects provided they have met the minimum requirements to have their results combined.
I am one of those people who paid the hefty amount of K1000 to have my Mathematics combined into one certificate and getting rid of the cumbersome way I was carrying two General Certificate of Education Certificates, one with one mathematics subject, and the other with seven subjects. I paid on the 7th of April 2016 and I was initially told the new combined certificate would take a maximum of
4 months to be processed. That would mean that it would be ready in August 2016. When August came, I even went as late as the 27th day but was told the certificates will be out in September.September came, and I was told that the certificates were back from the United Kingdom as that is where they are printed but they have errors and were sent back…check October.
I had the agonising pain of waiting and I didn’t even go in October and even November thinking I am giving the E.C.Z enough time to sort out their house. On the 15 of December 2017, I went thinking I will get the desired result but alas nothing. I am told check again in 2018.
So, to sum it up my certificate is being processed from the 7th of April 2016 to somewhere in 2018. My life has got to stop because of that. I was generously helped with a letter confirming and explaining that I am awaiting a new certificate but surely wherever I go with a letter explaining my situation for over a year now will not take me seriously. I am very disappointed with the way E.C.Z is handling this and to me it is very unprofessional. Can it take over a year to print certificates? There is something that we are not being told here. If indeed the certificates are printed in the UK which I believe has an efficient system, why is it taking so long?
If indeed the UK prints the certificates, there must be a service fee that E.C.Z pays so my question is…have they paid their service providers. I paid a K1000 to have a service rendered but I am not getting it and I believe there are other people affected by their inefficiency. I had sincerely hoped not to go to the media with this, but it seems that’s the only way I have so far, before I can start thinking of legal matters which I am reading up on and consulting on.
I humbly ask the E.C.Z to take this seriously because once legal implications start, it will not be good for their organisational
reputation.
Affected Citizen
Oh my goodness, you mean Zambia can’t even print certificates? How many years after independence and we are running to our colonial masters to print paper for us!!! Cry my beloved Zambia.Please ECZ you can’t keep peoples lives on hold because of your bureaucratic incompetence.
It is most likely that ECZ is not even processing you certificate, they probably have not done anything about it and they are just giving excuses.
I was in a similar situation a few years ago and after several trips to ECZ, a friend of a friend who works at ECZ helped to follow up my case and discovered that a year and half after I submitted my request, nothing had been done.
So sad! Redirect this concern to both ministries in charge of Education!!
I work at ECZ. The system has changed and very soon things will be better. As soon as 2022 we see things even getting better. We see time in a different way. We only consider that things have delayed when we pass our threshold of 5 years. This has not passed for you so be patient. That’s my advice.
And you say you paid K1000. The fees have been revised to K2,286. That might be the reason your paper has gone nowhere.
I am from your website and there is no such thing as a revised fee. Sir, in this day and age of easy access to technology one needs to be careful what they post. Unless the site has not updated the fees.
You cant be that careless to say that thats the reason the paper has not gone anywhere..why not communicate coz this person has been going there to enquire.. if u revised and you want to charge the poor person…it is wrong..and myabe the reason you are not being forthright…
Thankfully this is not official response from ECZ and don’t see the change in fees to be reason for the delay. If fees have changed where you take the certificates, bear the cost because he submitted and paid for the service when it was K1000. This is the price you pay when you prastinate!
You an *****. Why not disseminate proper information to the public so that they know what next. Why Do You people who work in public institutions behaviour so dull in everything?
Good day, so in effect u as an employee of ECZ are telling me somones life has got to be on hold for five years? And if you have revised the payments that should not affect a person as they paid the agreed amount for that time. You are not making sense. Why should someone pay a fee that was revised after he paid the old fee. It does not affect that person. My advise to you ECZ is to take this seriously otherwise you may face damage to ur reputation. In my view..you are wrong for not rendering a service..u are doing a dis service infact. Please before you answer make sure u follow ur public relations channels otherwise you will mess things because am sure even if you are an ECZ official my question is in what capacity are you communicating what you have just said?
In 2016 the fee was 1000 and i do not know when u revised it…and if u did…the fee for that time was 1000 not that ridiculous new figure u just mentioned. Are u in in effect someone has to pay the new revised figure for a service that they have not even seen yet…for a period qhen the new revised figure was not even effected. ECZ PLEASE be serious. 1000 kwacha is alot of money please lets not steal from citizens ECZ..i see legal implications coming because i am sure the person who wrote thisis not the only one…
ECZ tulebako serious…the person says they paid in April 2016 and this is 19th december 2017…and you saying he should be patient….wow…over a year of waiting….
With this working culture no wonder we’re still a developing country even after half a century of gaining independence
If someone pays for a service one should get it. This is how business is conducted.. this is not a perfect world but far is far. As i look at the calendar people will be going on industrial break so nothing will be done…by the time people come back next year, they have added pressure of finamces and others….when are these so called certificates going to be printed…this is embarassing sure….
It’s a crying shame indeed. 53 years after independence and we have not invested in that technology yet. How long should it be before we realize we need to stop paying for printing services… Ati sovereign nation my foot.
Fresh from the grade 12 scandal…ECZ is at it again…pa last our education system will not be accepted anywhere in the world….i expected public relations of ECZ to start damage control coz people wont have jobs in 2018.
I had a similar experience. I changed my career into business and thats what i ve been doing since. The certificate came years later and I ve it packed collecting dust. They v3 done nothing on it I guarantee you.
The purported ECZ employee is merely joking. However, I am also waiting after paying K1000 in August 2016. Such complaints are discouraging some would-be ECZ customers. So can ECZ quickly make a statement in mainstream media to explain and apologize for the delay, and to also make a concrete assurance as to when these certificates will be available. Otherwise we will speculate corruption.
In 2016 i was also told ati the delay is because of all the politicians verifying their results because of elecetions…honestly what has that got ro do with me..am i not a person to be afforded a service…should i be a politician to have a service….lelo lelo ECZ…Dnt knpw why i didnt think of this channel of complaint
This case is critical! It could be of help if we had shareholders who had people at heart. Alas! we may not have them now. If this level of negligence is left unattended to, it may spill over to other such critical organs.The question is “Where are we heading to?”
And this is a culture we are inculcating in the next generation….how are we going to develop….awe this is a serious matter…if nothing is done…the minister of education should be written to….
April 2016 to as good as 2018 coz between now and 30 december nothing will suffice….ECZ shame on you…have you seen the number of views this has generated…if i were in ECZ now i would not be thinking i will have a good xmas
In Zambia people have no sense of shame. The anything goes attitude is so deep in their bones.
This is sad, close to a year ecz still processing certificate. The minister of general education has to hear this.
Go to Nkandu Luo. In Zambia we do not realize that our people especially the young are our greatest asset. I for one, I made up mind some time ago, I will be taking action against this mindset in our country. We have too many free riders who do not know why government pays their salary. They do to not help to create the future of Zambia, but destroy it day in and day out.
This makes sad reading because the two gentlemen at the top of ECZ are young and energetic. One od them has even acquired a cheap doctorates from overseas business companies called univeristiea whixh are not accredited to anyone.They fought so hard to hound former director and his team. But since they have been at the helm, the credibility of ECZ has gone begging. Grade 9 and Grade 12 examination for 2017 should have been nullified due to cheating even via social media. The two gentlemen talk nicely but they have run of ideas so quickly.
Real sad….when are we going to evolve in our thinking. We needs a complaints commission in Zambia because people really get a raw deal in service provision. Ecz should take this serious.
This is a case of impunity by the ECZ umuntu nalipila K1000 kwacha by the way this can be someones salary. The person sacrifices this amount and the council is processing his certificate since April 2016.
Let us all rally behind the affected people and make sure ECZ is held accountable by doing whats right mwe banthu….today its another person..tomoro its u or ur kids affected by their incompetence.
Aweee…. Prof Luo should hear of this….this is what i call kupusa by public bodies..you are to provide a service but in the end you dont elo ninshi people have paid….
Yangu sure….K1000 is alot of money…just to throw mu menshi….ECZ should be taken to task. The sad thing about this debacle is that other people from other countries are reading about this……
What i hate in zambia is this so called african time….the ECZ is in no hurry to assist fee paying individuals and thus these individuals lives are on hold….this is utter nonsense
Ba ECZ muleposako amano….this will go viral napa Facebook….clarify a nation before this happens….people are posting links pa Facebook…kanshi you are waiting for an unquenchable fire…remember we do not have the right fire trucks to put it out…lol
Tiye tiye..nayo…its been less than 24 hours since this article was posted ama views over a 1000 ummmmm….
Examinations Council of Zambia….to maintain an organisation, one needs to pay particular heed to social network ossues in this day and age…it makes ot breaks a reputation. Abantu are talking….
Mamamama…this makes for interesting reading…no wonder the south african matric system has the bravery to say they are higher in standards….it is because of such behaviour. My nephew was told to bridge in order to qualify to study there…meanwhile if yoy look at the matric system..it has what is called maths literacy which is elementary maths that can not be compared to o level maths let alone additional maths in zambia
Prof Luo…the education problems we face start at foundation level. Lets be serious otherwise you as a minister will have failed in your capacity.
The woodlands service station for ECZ has people at counters working well but i feel they are being let down by the administration beyond their control…i was there yesterday and this woman was firing questions to the counter lady who for lack of a better word …was clueless about information pertaining to issurance of combined certificates….
Iye….zambia yandi…printing certificate over a year…ma…..next generation of zambians i feel sorry for…you are to pay for your parents sins
Thos ECZ is failing..it should be disbundled maybe…lol….the time when people will have their jobs threatened is when they will work because being in the unemployment line sucks big time
Fire on the mountain…..quench this fire and as my other colleague said, we dont have the tools to put it out..lol…ECZ should run and make a public statement otherwise there are alot of people in thos situation ka
ecz i have no respect for these guys
examinations coucil of zambia…rot and corruption is the order of the day in this country and it has seeped in everywhere…as a people where are we going…in the end we will not fit in the world
Ecz this is someone career you are putting a stop at. What sort of work ethic is this? Do the bosses in these institution s follow through whats going on. How can it take about 2 years just to combine a certificate? So do we have to go England ourselves to have this done quickly?
The way things are done in Zambia leaves much to be desired. Why keep someone at ransom? Bupuba ubu.
Awe this is very unfortunate. Does everything need to be taken to the media for authorities to act sure….it os very sad
This matter is serious. It should be taken further. Pantu ku zed we are uses to medicore services…not thos time no…
Yessssss….i think the ECZ now have met a formidable foe…lelo they are being exposed like the amateurs they are.
When you offer a service u provide if the client has paid..but in zed kuwayawaya fye and we sit back….
ECZ its time to own up….a person and other people have paid..they want their cerificates…bring them out please
Ecz sonta epo mwatwala ama certificates ya bantu
This is unacceptable..pathetic…mediocre…substandard…moronic services ba ECZ…U Should b of high integrity since u dealing with sensitive issues…when are u going to own up to ur sins….
And then u want people who have gone outside to make a better living to come back to zed with non functional institutions? Fat chance……
Day two since this letter was posted. And ECZ is mum on the issue. When people have no information they resort to drastic measures ka….
Cry my beloved country….its a shame really hey…..how can we surely develop
Found an old mudala who had travelled all the way from kabompo to lusaka to collect his combined certificate only to b told no..check next yr…the mudala had the bravery to re write some subjects to upgrade himself but is being let down by ECZ
Awe ba examinations council should be more responsible …you are playing with peoples lives here…..
My heart bleeds for people affected…lelo it affects ur neighbour…tomoro its u or ur relative…lets rally behind the people with this plight. The ministry of education should hear of this
Incompetency of the highest order…two yrs telling stories to people..awe my ECZ NENSONI u should have…as for the chap who exposed himself or herself as an ECZ employee has no shame..if i were him i would keep quiet and let the proper authorities address the issue otherwise pasop…
Zambia zambia zambia…do the affected people need to be politicians to have their case heard….if they are as ordinary as i think they are..their issue would have been sorted…
If the ECZ dont act tilowa….lol awe tiza nena to the higher authority chapwa
Undoubtedly, this is inefficiency of the highest order. It is impractical for one not to have received his or her certificate by now, having paid for it as early as April of 2016. To ECZ, this case was clear cut: verify the person’s details on both certificates, integrate them on the system and send the updated files to our neocolonialist and have them print the merged certificate (perhaps the process is not as easy as I postulate, but that mirrors the mode of thinking). Sadly (and I make part reference to an earlier comment), probably the author of this article has no idea who to ‘supposedly’ tip at ECZ, otherwise, he or she would have ‘supposedly’ received the certificate ages ago. Rather, I would like to commend the author of this articles for exposing such inefficiencies. While we…
Continuation”… While we, more formally, got to know about these inefficiencies at his or her expense, this articles goes beyond assisting the noble man, who had no form of recourse when faced with such a conundrum. Lastly, I encourage the author to keep fighting ‘the good fight’ and let’s make Zambia better by advocating for transparency and a more effective public service system.
Well said @ general Samito…you have hit the nail on its head…..ECZ needs to be straight with the general public
Kwena ba ecz are very imcopetent sana…and this is disappointing coming from a department like that
ECZ PUT UR HOUSE IN ORDER..NOTICE I AM USING CAPS SO AM SHOUTING.
Nansoni ECZ alibe zoona…kuli va so sure…u are losing the last shred of integrity u have….put your affairs in order
If education is the means to exit poverty and the government insists on holding the keys to this freedom through financial and administrative incompetence then clearly they want you to stay poor.
Kwena am speechless with the ecz…in 2017 behaving like ots 1970 with all this technology
Zambia will be left behind…look at our NRCs outdated…even poor Malawi has digitised ids….the rot at ecz is a manifestation of what all departments in Zambia are…USELESSSSSS
ECZ…Please come 2018 muchinje…give the poor fellow his certificate….coz he cant put his life on hold because of ur incapabilities…also information to the public is important..communicate the status of the cerrificates…those that are ready put them in press..and those that arent inform people timeously
New years resolution ba ECZ please change ur work culture or else you will lose all dignity