Zimsec upgrades examinations security

As Zimbabwe prepares for the commencement of Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations this month, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has introduced enhanced security measures aimed at preventing examination paper leaks. Schools with compromised security will now receive their examination papers just moments before the start of each exam to mitigate any potential risks.

A key part of the strategy is the creation of cluster centres, where exam papers will be stored at schools with robust security systems. These schools will distribute the exam papers to nearby institutions on the day of the exam, ensuring secure handling from storage to examination centres.

To further strengthen security, the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) will implement real-time monitoring across all examination centres. Monitors will be dispatched to ensure compliance with security protocols and prevent leaks. The system has already proven effective during the recent Grade 7 exams, which were conducted without incident.

Zimsec has also introduced stricter transportation protocols for the movement of exam papers. The papers will be securely transported from national centres to provinces, then to districts, and finally to cluster centres, with heightened precautions at every step.

Schools with inadequate security measures will receive their exam papers just before the start of each exam, regardless of location. These security improvements will be funded through the examination fees paid by candidates during registration.

The Ministry has also reiterated the severe penalties for leaking examination papers, which include a 9-year jail term and the nullification of results for anyone caught cheating.

Ministry spokesperson Mr. Taungana Ndoro expressed confidence in the security measures, saying, "We have enhanced security around examination processes and are very confident that they will be written without any glitches, incidents, or issues across the country. We can even say that the Zimsec exams are now more secure than those of Cambridge."

He also highlighted that the success of the Grade 7 examinations demonstrates the effectiveness of the security protocols and expects the same for O and A-level exams.

Zimsec's deployment of monitors across the country will ensure strict adherence to security guidelines. Morning exam papers will be transported in the morning, collected immediately after the exam, while afternoon papers will follow a similar process, transported just before the start of the exam and retrieved afterward.

This year marks the final examination cycle for learners under the Continuous Assessment Learning Activities (CALA) system, with next year's exams set to follow a new heritage-based curriculum. This curriculum promotes five pathways: science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); visual and performing arts; technical and vocational education and training; humanities; and commercial studies.

As Grade 7 learners complete their exams and begin their holiday, Mr. Ndoro encouraged them to start preparing for secondary school through individual research, urging them to stay focused and avoid indiscipline.

In line with President Mnangagwa's vision for improving Zimbabwe's education system, the Government has employed over 10,000 teachers this year, strengthening schools across the nation.