HARARE – The integrity of the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) is hanging by a thread after at least three papers were leaked to students during the on-going Ordinary Level November examinations.
Police have been roped in to investigate and plug the source of the leaks amid reports that soft copies of examinations are being leaked to students by Zimsec officials at the council’s Harare offices.
In one of the leaks, Bikita Fashu High School headmaster Hapias Madziro called in police after a school student Tafadzwa Chikomo had been seen with an English Paper 2 question paper with prepared answers.
Chikomo was said to have been copying prepared answers during the English paper two examination which was running between 9AM and 11AM on the 19th of October 2022.
The invigilator, one Mugadza Eustina then took the paper with answers that was being used by Tafadzwa Chikomo and took it to the headmaster Hapias Madziro who then made a report to Police after contacting Zimsec Regional Manager Masvingo Mr Dandira, police said in a memo.
Students from Pamushana High School were also fingered as being part of the racket which was distributing leaked examination papers.
Police said further investigations also revealed that Mathematics Paper 2 was leaked.
“It appears this year’s Zimsec examinations are seriously leaked and it appears the source is in Harare and chances are high that the leakages are from Zimsec offices in Harare,” said internal sources.
“Action should be taken on Zimsec head offices where the soft copies originate.”
Earlier, the national examination agency said it was investigating candidates believed to have had access to Ordinary Level Mathematics Paper 1.
“The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council would like to alert all its valued stakeholders that reports have been received that there are candidates who had pre-access to the Ordinary Level Mathematics Paper 1 (4004/1) which was written this morning (18 October 20222),” said the agency in an earlier statement.
“Zimsec, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police are investigating the leakage and have already identified some candidates who had pre-access to the question paper and are currently tracking down the source’s where the papers originated.
“The extent of the leakage is yet to be ascertained, after which the relevant authorities will make an informed decision on the administration of this paper.”
