Zimbabwe Provisional Drivers License tests to be written online

Government has revealed plans to bring innovation to the Vehicle Inspection Department(VID) that will see Provisional drivers license test written and submitted online in a bid to reduce shady interference by officials.

Senior principal director in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), Ambassador Mary Sibusisiwe Mubi, said this was part of the e-governance drive meant to bring convenience to members of the public.

She, however, could not say when the technology would be implemented but said its introduction will help reduce alleged corruption at the VID.

Under the envisaged system, learners will first be subjected to an eye test three times, failure of which the person will not be able to write the examinations. The eye test will be at levels; close, medium and far.

Those who would have passed the eye test, will proceed to register for the exam online by providing their details which include name, physical address and national identity number before the eight-minute examination starts.

The examinations will be centrally and electronically administered at the VID head office in Harare, stripping VID officials at various branches around the country, where the tests are being written now, of any influence on the outcome of the tests.

With the new technology, each candidate will write a different set of questions from the next candidate during the same session and in the same exam room.

This comes against reports of an alarming number of people failing learners driving license tests, amid claims that officials at the VID deliberately fail people to induce bribes.