The Cabinet considered and approved the Zimbabwe School Examination Amendment Bill on Tuesday, 8 April.
If the bill is eventually passed into law, individuals convicted of leaking public examination question papers could face up to nine years in prison. Schools found guilty of the same offence would be deregistered and shut down under the proposed legislation.
The new regulations also state that anyone caught impersonating a student and sitting for an exam on their behalf will face imprisonment.
Previously, those found guilty of similar offences could face up to a year in jail, but in many cases, the courts opted for community service instead.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Jenfan Muswere, said:
<blockquote>
The decision to amend the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Act [Chapter 25:18] is to address challenges obtaining in the education sector, in particular, examination leakages, registration anomalies and fraudulent practices at some examination centres countrywide.
The Zimbabwe School Examinations Amendment Bill, 2024, therefore has inter-alia, the following objectives: streamlining Board functions to provide for the deregistration of non-compliant examination centres; strengthening of the operational efficiency of the Board; and reviewing of penalties for examination malpractices. More critically, the Bill eliminates leakages across all examination centres.
</blockquote>
Speaking at the same briefing, Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Torerai Moyo, said:
<blockquote>
It should be noted that on leakages, we have had leakages especially in 2022 where more than five examination question papers leaked, especially, for Ordinary Level.
To address this mischief, we have come with this new Bill. According to section 141 of the Constitution, the general public will decide as they make submissions to the Bill, they will decide on the penalties, but what we are proffering as a solution is imprisonment of those culprits.
We are likely to come up with penalties, for leakage of one paper, one may be imprisoned for a period that exceeds nine years so that it becomes a deterrent measure to those who may want to engage in that criminal act.
Another measure is the deregistration of examination centres.
We are going to penalise those schools, registered or not. In the majority of cases unregistered centres as compared to registered centres (are often the culprits). So, we are going to deal decisively with this by deregistering these centres.
Another way is the issue of impersonation, where someone will masquerade as a bona fide student, writing the examination for another person. Those that will be caught will also face the same music and go to jail.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/exam-cheats-to-be-jailed-9yrs/">The Herald</a>

Pindula News

The government in Zimbabwe is making a new law that says if someone leaks exam papers they could go to jail for up to nine years. This law also says schools that do this will be closed. If someone pretends to be a student and takes an exam for them, they could go to jail too. Before, the punishment was not as severe. The government wants to stop exam cheating and make sure students take exams fairly. This new law will make sure people who cheat in exams face serious consequences.

New Bill Proposes 9-Year Jail Term For Leaking ZIMSEC Exam Papers, Impersonation

<h2>Full statement by the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council on November 2022 Ordinary Level Results.</h2>
<blockquote>
The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) issued a statement on the 17th of October 2022, informing the nation that some candidates had been found to have had pre-access to some Ordinary Level Question Papers. Subsequent statements were issued on the 20th of October and the 10th of November 2022 providing updates on the investigations into the matter.
ZIMSEC wishes to give the following update to the nation and our stakeholders.
<ol>
<li>There have been false reports circulating on social media, particularly from a ZIMSEC parody (false) Twitter account and an online publication, Afrogazette, purporting that the Ordinary level results have been cancelled. ZIMSEC has issued no statements on the pass rate of the 2022 O Level Examination candidates or cancellation of results. These reports are published in mischief to cause anxiety and unrest amongst candidates and parents. We advise all stakeholders to disregard these speculative attempts to cause panic and despondency and await official updates from ZIMSEC.</li>
<li>The Council is in the process of finalizing its assessment of 2022 Ordinary Level performance. The November 2022 Ordinary Level examinations marking has been completed. Processes that precede the release of the results are currently underway.</li>
<li>Candidates who had pre-access to question papers at different examination centres were identified during the writing of the examinations and also at the marking of scripts stage. These candidates will, in line with the ZIMSEC Act, Section 34, have examination results cancelled.</li>
<li>Our stakeholders are called upon to expect the release of results to deserving candidates when all necessary processes have been completed.</li>
</ol>
We wish to thank the public and all our stakeholders for their interest and cooperation in ensuring the integrity of our examination system.
</blockquote>

ZIMSEC Statement On November 2022 Ordinary Level Results | Full Text

The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) has dismissed social media claims that the November 2022 Ordinary Level examinations will be cancelled due to massive leakages of some papers.
In a statement on Tuesday, 17 January, ZIMSEC said it is finalising the processes preceding the release of the results.
It also said those candidates who had access to exam papers before they were written were identified during the writing of the examinations and also at the marking of scripts stage and their examination results cancelled. Part of the statement reads:
<blockquote>
There have been false reports circulating on social media, particularly from a ZIMSEC parody (false) Twitter account and an online publication, Afrogazette, purporting that the Ordinary level results have been cancelled.
We haven’t issued any statements on the pass rate of the 2022 O Level Examination candidates or cancellation of results.
These reports are published in mischief to cause anxiety and unrest amongst candidates and parents.
We advise all stakeholders to disregard these speculative attempts to cause panic and despondency and await official updates from ZIMSEC.
We are in the process of finalising the assessment of 2022 Ordinary Level performance and have completed the marking.
The processes which precede the release of the results are currently underway.
</blockquote>
ZIMSEC added that the results will be announced at the appropriate time when all the processes have been completed. It said:
<blockquote>
Our stakeholders are called upon to expect the release of results to deserving candidates when all necessary processes have been completed.
We wish to thank the public and all our stakeholders for their interest and cooperation in ensuring the integrity of our examination system.
</blockquote>
| <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/no-cancellation-of-o-level-november-2022-results-zimsec-zimsec-speaks-on-o-level-exams-results/">Chronicle</a>

ZIMSEC Says 2022 November O' Level Exams Will Not Be Cancelled

A 19-year-old man from Bellevue suburb in Bulawayo was ordered to perform 105 hours of unpaid service for cheating during the 2022 public examinations.
David Chipendo was convicted of cheating during last year’s Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) Ordinary Level examinations.
Chipendo appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Busani Sibanda facing charges of gaining access to examination material as defined in Section 35 (a) of the Zimbabwe School Examination Council Act Chapter 25:18.
He was initially sentenced to seven months imprisonment but four months of his sentence was suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining three months were suspended on condition that he performs 105 hours of community service at Donnington Police Station.
In passing the sentence the magistrate noted that Chipendo was a first offender.
However, Magistrate Sibanda ruled that the option of a fine was going to trivialise the offence and thus community service will allow Chipendo to introspect and also deter would-be offenders.
Allegations were that on 4 October 2022, Chipendo was writing the Ordinary Level Combined Science Paper 2 at Herentals College situated at Corner 6th Avenue and Lobengula Street.
It was further alleged that while collecting the answer sheets from the students, the informant discovered that Ndlovu had folded and torn answer sheets.
The informant quickly alerted the authorities who seized the material which they discovered was prepared answers for the Combined Science Paper 2 which was being written.
The matter was reported to the police and investigations led to Chipendo’s arrest. | <a href="https://www.bmetro.co.zw/exam-cheat-spared-jail-agony/">B-Metro</a>

Court Orders Exam Cheat To Perform 105 Hours Of Unpaid Service

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZTA) secretary-general Goodwill Taderera said that the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) 2022 Ordinary Level examinations should be rewritten to preserve the credibility of the examinations.
ZIMSEC told Parliament last year that about 590 suspects were caught cheating while sitting for November 2022 Ordinary and Advanced Level final examinations.
Speaking to NewsDay, Taderera said ZIMSEC should arrange for the examinations to be rewritten in order to address the widespread leakage. Said Taderera:
<blockquote>
Everything is falling apart now. We have always red-flagged the ZIMSEC malpractices.
It has actually been going on for years. We have heard learners doing 20 subjects with flying colours and we have been suspicious.
Now this year, we had evidence of learners who had access to the papers before they sat for the examination.
That was enough reason for ZIMSEC to arrange for rewriting of the examinations to restore its integrity as an examinations body.
Rewriting is the only fair way to address the malpractice.
</blockquote>
However, Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education chairperson Torerai Moyo, said it is too late for ZIMSEC to run a rewrite. Moyo said:
<blockquote>
ZIMSEC is investigating the leakages through the marking process which would determine the extent of the cheating.
If there is a pattern of uniformity in the answers by pupils, as reported by the examiners, then there is proof of cheating. But I think it is too late for ZIMSEC to run a rewrite.
The bottom line is ZIMSEC should be accountable for how it runs the examinations.
One way is to amend the Act that governs how examinations are run to give room for stiffer penalties for cheating.
</blockquote>
| <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200005729/zimsec-marking-schemes-leaked-before-exams">NewsDay</a>

Teachers' Union Says ZIMSEC 2022 O' Level Exams Should Be Rewritten

The leakage of Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) Ordinary Level examinations appears to have been unprecedented in the country in 2022 as candidates had access to marking schemes before they sat for their final examinations in October and November.
ZIMSEC markers who declined to be named for security reasons told NewsDay that there is irrefutable evidence that candidates had marking schemes before they wrote the exams.
Some candidates reproduced the marking schemes for some papers “word for word” in their answer sheets according to NewsDay’s sources.
At some examination centres in Harare, the majority of pupils reportedly got high marks of up to 100% for Combined Science Paper 2 and others. An examiner who requested anonymity was quoted by NewsDay as saying:
<blockquote>
Some pupils reproduced the marking scheme in their answers, even the codes that are put on the documents to guide the markers, which the candidates did not know the meaning of.
It was clear that cheating occurred because some would write answers exactly as they were on the marking scheme but on the wrong question.
It is possible that every pupil in class can get an answer right, but not when the answer is the same in verbatim for a sentence. It is impossible unless they are copying from somewhere.
</blockquote>
ZIMSEC spokesperson Nichollette Dlamini said a comprehensive report will be published once investigations into the leakage of examinations are completed. She said:
<blockquote>
As reported to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee by our directorate and MoPSE [Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education], the marking activity was part of the measures to find those candidates who may or are suspected to have been involved in examination malpractice.
The comprehensive report and results, including those of other investigations, will be published at the completion of the exercise.
</blockquote>
Towards the end of last year, ZIMSEC officials told Parliament that about 590 suspects were caught cheating while sitting for November 2022 Ordinary and Advanced Level final examinations. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200005729/zimsec-marking-schemes-leaked-before-exams">NewsDay</a>

ZIMSEC Marking Schemes Leaked Before Exams | Report

The Roman Catholic Church was forced to intervene and stop teachers at St Joseph Primary School from demanding US$2.00 from every pupil so that they will be allowed to sit for end-of-year tests.
Parents who spoke to Pindula News alleged that the Roman Catholic Church-run school, which has a reported enrolment of over 1 000 learners, asked parents and guardians to pay the money so that their children would be allowed to write end-of-term examinations.
The pupils were also made to pay ZWL$300 for Visual &amp; Performing Arts (VPA) and Physical Education (PE).
However, following an uproar by parents, Father Christopher Wusiku, who is the Local Responsible Authority for the school, directed that the learners should be given back their money, that is, the US$2 and the ZWL$300.
When contacted for comment, Father Wusiku refused to confirm or deny the reports but insisted that the parents are aware of the school’s position on the matter.
A source told Pindula News that it was never the school’s policy to request pupils to make payments towards their end-of-term tests but was an arrangement made by some teachers and their pupils.
St Joseph Primary School is situated at Mutora Growth Point In Gokwe North and is one of the largest and most prestigious schools in the district.

Parents Force Gokwe School To Back Down On End Of Year Exam "Fees"

The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) has provisionally postponed the start of the June 2020 examinations by a month.
This was revealed by ZIMSEC board chair, Professor Eddie Mwenje, who said the decision was reached by senior officials of the exams body at a meeting on Friday.
The tentative dates were subject to change depending on the position taken by Government at the end of the lockdown period on May 3. Said Mwenje:
<blockquote>We met on Friday and managed to check the level of preparedness by Zimsec and they have completed the printing of the papers for the June examinations.
We can say that they are ready to stage the examinations. What we have advised them to do is to push the starting date by two to four weeks.
So, we advised Zimsec to consider pushing the exams by a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of four weeks so that it does not clash with other lessons for the November examinations.
Instead of the exams beginning late May, they may be pushed to begin mid-June. Although there is no extension for the June examinations registration, we are considering pushing the dates. We also spoke of social distancing during these examinations.
However, all this is also subject to Government pronouncement on May 3 when the current lockdown ends.</blockquote>
Meanwhile, the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Dr Takavafira Zhou said teachers have no problem with the position announced by ZIMSEC since pupils had enough time to prepare for the exams.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/june-exams-pushed-back/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sunday News</a></h4>

ZIMSEC Announces Provisional Dates For June Exams

<blockquote>ZIMBABWE MINISTRY OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
PRESS STATEMENT 
CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC ‘O’ AND ‘A’ LEVEL EXAMINATIONS DURING PUBLIC HOLIDAY OF 25TH OCTOBER 2019. 
When the Government declared Friday 25th October 2019 a Public Holiday to mark SADC SOLIDARITY Day against illegal Western sanctions on Zimbabwe, it was aware that the ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level Public Examinations were in progress. In this regard, the Examinations scheduled for 25th October 2019 shall be written as per Time Table.
School Heads, Principals, Invigilators and all those involved in running the Examinations should ensure that all Candidates report to their respective Examination Centres as per their Time Tables. All stakeholders are advised accordingly.
MINISTER OF PRIMARY &amp; SECONDARY EDUCATION
22 OCT 2019
PO BOX CY 121. CAUSEWAY ZIMBABWE TEL: 04 253084
Prof. P. Mavima
MINISTER FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION</blockquote>

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