2026 ZIMSEC O-Level and A-Level exams commence countrywide

The 2026 Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) O-Level and A-Level examinations started on Monday, 12 October, with more than 386,000 candidates sitting at about 3,500 centres nationwide.

O-Level candidates wrote mathematics and English papers, while A-Level candidates sat guidance and life skills, animal science, crop science and agricultural engineering.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said the examinations had started smoothly, with no major disruptions reported.

He said the deployment of invigilators, supervisors and monitors was being closely monitored to ensure all centres were adequately staffed.

“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.

This year, ZIMSEC has introduced traceable question papers and personalised answer sheets to tighten controls over examination materials.

Ndoro said the new system allows question papers to be linked to the centres to which they are allocated, while personalised answer sheets guard against script substitution and the introduction of unauthorised scripts.

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

He said the measures were intended to ensure that all candidates sit their examinations under fair and comparable conditions.

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

More: The Herald