Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
LEARNERS in all parts of Manicaland Province started the third and final term of 2026 on a serious note on Tuesday, with examination candidates expected to adhere to stipulated subject caps at Grade Seven, Ordinary and Advanced levels.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is tightening its policies on subject capping for both O and A-Level learners this year, allowing only a maximum of nine subjects at O-Level, while A-Level learners will not exceed the standard three subjects.
Grade Seven candidates will sit for six subjects.
With the term beginning on Tuesday, learners in exam classes are now making final touches to their preparations for the November examinations.
The move by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is aimed at ensuring that learners study and sit for examinations in accordance with recommended standards that promote quality learning and better outcomes under the Heritage Based Curriculum that went into full throttle this year.
The initiative followed arguments resurrected by the rare achievement by Mukudzei Ziveyi, a learner from Pamushana High School in Masvingo Province, who scored 56 points in the 2025 A-Level examinations after sitting for 12 subjects, far exceeding the standard three.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Chief Director for Manicaland Province, Mr Richard Gabaza, said learners are expected to focus strictly on learning areas they had registered.
“Candidates are expected to focus strictly on learning areas they registered for. No time to waste, exams are around the corner,” said Mr Gabaza, adding that it is down to serious business for learners and teachers in schools across the province.
“Exams are around the corner, and it is down to serious business for learners and teachers,” he said.
Learners at different boarding schools in the province travelled on Monday ahead of opening day on Tuesday, and no reports of road traffic accidents were recorded.
In most parts of Manicaland, parents and learners queued in different shops in last-minute efforts to secure learning materials last weekend and on Monday.
Mr Gabaza said learners were advised to use designated public transport, their parents or legal guardians’ private vehicles to ensure safety and security.
“Learners were advised and adhered to use designated public transport or their parents’ or legal guardians’ private vehicles as we ensured their safety and security to travel to schools. All schools were ready to open their doors to learners for the third term that begun on Tuesday. Professional documents were in place at the time of reopening, and payment of fees and levies was also in progress. We are happy that our school environments are safe, secure and conducive to teaching and learning engagements,” he said.
Police in Manicaland, who carried out public campaigns in all parts of the province aimed at safeguarding parents and learners ahead of Tuesday’s reopening, did not record any road traffic accident involving learners.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka said campaigns were conducted from last weekend up to Monday across the province.
“We managed to carry out campaigns during last weekend up to Monday across the province in an effort to ensure the safety of school children as well as parents and teachers. We are happy that we did not record any single road traffic accident involving learners, and we also did not have learners harassed or victimised as they went back to their schools,” he said.
On school fees, Mr Gabaza said school heads were empowered to deal decisively with parents and guardians, who are reluctant to pay fees for their children or dependents.
“It is a statutory requirement that parents and guardians pay fees and levies on or before opening day. Some parents and guardians observe this obligatory statutory requirement. However, others need continuous capacity development to ensure compliance with this significant statutory provision. It is a serious breach of regulations to turn pupils away on account of failing to pay fees and levies and we do not expect our professional heads to act against the law. Our school heads have been empowered adequately to deal decisively with defiant parents and guardians,” he said.
