News / National
Heightened security for Zimsec exams
29 Oct 2023 at 12:28hrs | Views
New security measures have been implemented to prevent the leakage of public examination question papers in Zimbabwe. These measures involve the secure delivery of exam papers to the testing centers under escort on the same day that candidates take the tests.
The public exams for Ordinary and Advanced Level learners began on October 16. The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) recently introduced new regulations, stipulating that individuals convicted of leaking exam papers could face up to nine years in prison. Furthermore, learners found guilty of the same offense will have their results invalidated.
To date, eight individuals have been arrested for fraudulently selling counterfeit exam papers through social media platforms. Zimsec's Public Relations Manager, Ms. Nicky Dhlamini-Moyo, explained that the council has implemented several security measures, including the daily distribution of exam question papers, the provision of Zimsec answer sheets, and necessary chemicals to exam centers. Security teams are also conducting checks and monitoring exams across the country to ensure the integrity of the process.
While discussing the examination registration, Ms. Dhlamini-Moyo noted a marginal decrease in the number of candidates compared to the previous year. In the November 2023 exams, there are 287,167 registered Ordinary Level candidates, down from 295,122 in 2022, and 35,061 registered Advanced Level candidates, down from 37,613 in the previous year. The specific reasons for this difference are not conclusively determined, as registration is managed by schools.
In total, approximately 322,000 learners will participate in both Ordinary and Advanced Level exams. Arthur Maphosa, President of the National Association of School Heads, commended Zimsec for the measures implemented to combat exam leakages. He acknowledged that these measures had been effective, especially considering the issues of leakages reported the previous year. However, Mr. Maphosa expressed surprise at the decrease in the number of registered learners for this year's exams, while highlighting the absence of learners involved in illegal activities, except for those individuals caught selling question papers on social media. He had expected an increase in registrations, as many learners were funded by the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).
The public exams for Ordinary and Advanced Level learners began on October 16. The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) recently introduced new regulations, stipulating that individuals convicted of leaking exam papers could face up to nine years in prison. Furthermore, learners found guilty of the same offense will have their results invalidated.
While discussing the examination registration, Ms. Dhlamini-Moyo noted a marginal decrease in the number of candidates compared to the previous year. In the November 2023 exams, there are 287,167 registered Ordinary Level candidates, down from 295,122 in 2022, and 35,061 registered Advanced Level candidates, down from 37,613 in the previous year. The specific reasons for this difference are not conclusively determined, as registration is managed by schools.
In total, approximately 322,000 learners will participate in both Ordinary and Advanced Level exams. Arthur Maphosa, President of the National Association of School Heads, commended Zimsec for the measures implemented to combat exam leakages. He acknowledged that these measures had been effective, especially considering the issues of leakages reported the previous year. However, Mr. Maphosa expressed surprise at the decrease in the number of registered learners for this year's exams, while highlighting the absence of learners involved in illegal activities, except for those individuals caught selling question papers on social media. He had expected an increase in registrations, as many learners were funded by the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).
Source - Sunday Mail
