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Zimsec exams proceed without reported leakages

by Staff reporter
11 Nov 2024 at 07:07hrs | Views
The 2024 Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) Grade 7, Ordinary, and Advanced Level examinations have unfolded without any reports of paper leakages, marking a significant improvement compared to previous years. Education officials are praising this development, which they believe enhances the credibility and integrity of Zimbabwe's national examination system.

For years, Zimbabwe's public examinations have been marred by incidents of cheating, with several cases of individuals being arrested for leaking exam papers. In some cases, invigilators and school officials were implicated in facilitating these breaches. However, this year, with the Grade 7 exams already concluded and the Ordinary and Advanced Level exams currently in progress, Zimsec, the National Association of Primary School Heads (NAPH), and the National Association of Secondary School Heads (NASH) have confirmed that no incidents of paper leakages have occurred.

Mr. Arthur Maphosa, President of NASH, commended Zimsec for its dedicated efforts to strengthen security and improve governance, highlighting that this year's examinations have run more smoothly than in previous years. "Compared to previous years, you will recall that schools, together with Zimsec, were often in the news due to leakages that undermined the credibility of our examinations," Mr. Maphosa said in a recent interview. "We are particularly pleased that critical subjects such as English and Mathematics have been written without any incidents, and we are hopeful for a completely leakage-free examination period."

Mr. Maphosa also noted that the close collaboration between schools and Zimsec has been instrumental in safeguarding the integrity of the examinations. "We have found common ground with Zimsec to maintain the integrity of the exams. At the primary level, the exams have been completed without any reported leakages, which is commendable. Thumbs up to Zimsec and all examination centres for their hard work," he added.

Zimsec's Public Relations Manager, Ms. Nicolette Moyo, attributed the success to several key factors: enhanced collaboration, strengthened security measures, and increased awareness efforts. "We have significantly improved our monitoring systems, and worked closely with schools to ensure that all protocols were followed," Ms. Moyo explained. "The collective efforts have made a real difference, and we are optimistic that the remaining exams will also proceed without incident."

This year's positive development marks a shift toward a more secure and transparent examination process, which education stakeholders hope will continue to uphold the credibility of Zimbabwe's national qualifications system. The successful completion of the Grade 7 exams and the ongoing smooth conduct of Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations reflect the progress made in addressing past challenges and reaffirm the commitment to safeguarding the future of Zimbabwean education.

Source - the chronicle