“Investigations are underway. Zimsec is delivering question papers in accordance with security strategies adopted,” she said.
However, NewsDay gathered that some candidates were already in possession of the “leaked” examination papers which are yet to be written after having acquired them from the fraudsters.
Last year, a number of Zimsec O Level examination papers leaked before pupils sat for their final examinations and about 590 suspects were caught cheating while sitting for the final examinations. Many were reportedly arrested, but all fingers pointed at Zimsec for fiasco.
Reports also indicated that marking schemes were leaked to candidates before they sat for their final examinations in October and November.
Over the years, Zimsec has been forced to order rewrites for some papers after leaks and frauds.
Education organisations decried the lack of engagement between Zimsec and its various stakeholders for a collaborative effort to address the exam leak challenges
“The issue of exam leaks should be addressed for good if all concerned stakeholders join hands,” Zimbabwe National Union of School Heads secretary-general Munyaradzi Majoni said.
“Zimsec should learn from experience. Last year, we recommended various measures to the exam bodies on how it can curb the leakages.”
Accusing Zimsec of refusing to engage stakeholders over the matter Majoni added: “It requires a collaborative effort for all the stakeholders to come up with a solid solution on how we can stop the cheating, fraud and leakages.”
Progressive Teachers Association of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe weighed in saying: “The real challenge that we have is that unscrupulous individuals have been allowed to take advantage of candidates for long.”
Pointing out that it was up to Zimsec to prove to candidates that it is in charge to maintain its credibility Majoni said: “It must also be borne in mind that the invigilation process is also a very crucial stage of the whole examination process hencethe welfare of the invigilators need to be taken care of.”
Zimsec also said it had put in place measures to enhance improvement of examination conditions to uphold its credibility.
“We hereby advise candidates and parents to disregard the same as these papers are not in any way associated with examination material for the impending examination session and refrain from participating in these fraudulent groups,” the statement further reads.
“Genuine candidates have no business following the social media trail, except that they lose their money and also lose valuable study time.”
Zimsec spokesperson Nicholette Dlamini did not shed more light on the nature of investigations, choosing to only say Zimsec had adopted some security measures on delivering of question papers to examination centres.
SOME fraudsters are selling Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) question papers ahead of the Ordinary and Advanced Level examination starting today, as the integrity of the country’s education system comes under scrutiny, NewsDay can report.
Zimsec confirmed the development saying the matter was under investigation, but distanced itself from the material being sold.
In a statement over the weekend, Zimsec said some examination papers were being circulated by fraudsters who want to rip off unsuspecting candidates.
“These social media advertisements for question paper sales and unscrupulous WhatsApp groups purporting to have the November 2023 examinations question papers have been flagged and investigated,” the council said.
NewsDay
