Antony Chawagarira
THE Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) has introduced traceable question papers and personalised answer sheets for this year’s public examinations as part of measures to curb examination malpractice.
The enhanced security features are designed to safeguard the integrity of national examinations by enabling authorities to trace question papers to their allocated examination centres and prevent the substitution or smuggling of scripts.
The measures come as Grade Seven examinations commence tomorrow, with Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations scheduled to begin on October 12.
Zimsec public relations manager Nicky Dhlamini said the council was fully prepared for the examination season, with question papers and stationery already being distributed to cluster centres.
“The season for final examinations is upon us, starting with the Grade Seven examinations on the 21st of September 2026,” she said.
“Zimsec is fully prepared for the start of the examinations. Question papers and stationery are already being distributed to the cluster centres, ready for collection by centres.”
Dhlamini said security measures had been strengthened throughout the examination chain, from printing and packaging to distribution, storage and the eventual sitting of examinations.
She said technological advances embedded in examination materials enabled Zimsec to identify the centres to which specific question papers had been allocated.
“From printing to distribution and eventually the sitting of examinations, everything is closely monitored by security and loss-control teams,” she said.
The tracking system is expected to assist investigations into the premature access to examination papers by identifying the centre of origin and narrowing the focus to those responsible for any breach.
Dhlamini said the approach would ensure that innocent candidates were not unfairly affected by examination irregularities.
“In close collaboration with State and private agencies, Zimsec is able to identify and punish only the guilty without prejudicing innocent candidates,” she said.
The council has also introduced personalised answer sheets to strengthen safeguards against the use of unauthorised scripts during examinations.
According to Dhlamini, the measure would help prevent malpractice involving the substitution or introduction of scripts from outside examination rooms.
“Personalisation of answer sheets also prevents malpractice involving foreign scripts being smuggled from outside the examination room,” she said.
A total of 800 003 candidates are expected to sit the November 2026 examinations, comprising 413 792 Grade Seven candidates, 345 368 Ordinary Level candidates and 40 843 Advanced Level candidates.
The examinations will be conducted at 5 646 Grade Seven centres, 2 616 Ordinary Level centres and 925 Advanced Level centres.
Given the scale of the examinations, Zimsec will work with schools, security agencies and other relevant institutions to ensure the secure movement, storage and handling of examination materials.
Dhlamini urged members of the public to report suspected examination malpractice and maladministration through the council’s Axcentium anonymous tip-offs platform or at the nearest Zimsec office.
