Harare – The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) has provided assurances of a secure examination process as Ordinary and Advanced Level exams commenced without any reported hiccups. Government officials and education authorities are confident in the security measures put in place to prevent leaks of examination papers.
Mr. Taungana Ndoro, spokesperson for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, stated that the examinations began as scheduled, and no disruptions or leaks had been reported thus far. He debunked reports of leaks circulating in certain media outlets as false.
“The examinations have started, we have not received any adverse reports in the way the examinations were conducted. As of now, the exams progressed as scheduled. No leaks of papers so far as purported by other papers. When things are okay, people should emulate but not cause alarm. The process was good,” Mr. Ndoro assured.
Efforts to bolster security measures have been made to safeguard the integrity of the examinations. Mr. Ndoro emphasized that anyone attempting to breach these security measures would be dealt with accordingly.
Mr. Munyaradzi Majoni, from the Zimbabwe National Union of School Heads, echoed the positive sentiments, stating that both teachers and students are fully prepared and that they rely on the regulations put forth by Zimsec to ensure a smooth examination process. No genuine leaks of papers have been reported at this stage.
He further highlighted that the minimal disturbances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic this year have led to expectations of a higher pass rate. “We are expecting a good pass rate as a result of no disturbances which affected learners this year. We do not have any challenges so far affecting our learners who are sitting for the examinations. We expect our examinations to be flowing smoothly,” Mr. Majoni commented.
The Zimbabwean government has taken proactive steps to address the issue of examination paper leaks. The approval of the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Amendment Bill is intended to strengthen the independence of the Zimsec Board and ensure the proper fulfillment of its mandate. Under the proposed bill, examination centers failing to comply with Zimsec standards could face deregistration, and Zimsec would have the authority to withhold results pending investigations into alleged malpractices such as paper leaks.
Furthermore, all individuals involved in the administration of Zimsec examinations will be required to take an oath of secrecy. Stricter penalties will be imposed on those found guilty of any malpractices, including leaks. Individuals convicted of leaking public examination question papers may face up to nine years in prison, and learners found guilty of the same offense will have their results nullified. These measures have been introduced to deter cheating and safeguard the integrity of the examination process.
As the examinations progress smoothly, students and educators remain optimistic about the successful completion of this year’s Ordinary and Advanced Level exams.