ZIMSEC Introduces New Exam Security Measures as 386,000 Candidates Begin 2026 Exams

More than 386,000 candidates began their 2026 Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) examinations on Monday, 12 October.

The examinations are taking place at approximately 3,500 centres across the country. Meanwhile, authorities have introduced stronger security measures to protect the credibility of the national examinations.

O-Level candidates tackled mathematics and English papers on the opening day. At the same time, A-Level candidates sat guidance and life skills, animal science, crop science and agricultural engineering.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Taungana Ndoro confirmed that the examinations had started without major disruptions.

ZIMSEC Strengthens Controls Against Cheating

Ndoro said officials were monitoring the deployment of invigilators, supervisors and monitors. This oversight aims to ensure every examination centre has adequate staffing.

“The examinations started smoothly across all schools and centres in the country. The Ministry and ZIMSEC have also strengthened examination security to prevent leakage, impersonation, cheating and other irregularities that could undermine the credibility of the examinations,” Ndoro said.

Furthermore, ZIMSEC has introduced traceable question papers and personalised answer sheets for this year’s examinations.

The new system links question papers to their designated examination centres. Personalised answer sheets also help prevent candidates or other individuals from substituting scripts or introducing unauthorised answers.

“These safeguards cover the examination chain from printing and packaging through distribution, storage and use,” he said.

The measures strengthen controls throughout the examination process. They also aim to protect candidates from unfair practices that could compromise their results.

Authorities Emphasise Fairness for All Candidates

Ndoro said the security measures would help create fair and comparable conditions across examination centres.

The authorities intend to protect examination materials from the printing stage through to their use by candidates. Consequently, the new safeguards target potential weaknesses at different stages of the process.

“Our responsibility is to protect the integrity of the entire examination process,” Ndoro said.

As the examinations continue, ZIMSEC and the ministry will oversee their administration. Their focus remains on maintaining security and ensuring candidates complete their papers under consistent conditions.