Exam paper leakage: Zimsec courts ICT firms to design foolproof system

Loveness Bepete Chronicle Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) is scouting for a reputable firm to design a foolproof electronic Information and communications technology system to curb examination leakages.

In a statement, Zimsec said the system was meant to enhance the security of confidential examination material.

“Zimsec is inviting proposals from reputable and established firms to design electronic ICT based tamper proof document locking system to enhance the security of confidential examination material such as question papers and unmarked scripts,” reads part of the statement.

Zimsec said the applicants should be able to meet a number of requirements including the capacity to track movement of boxes to any location of more than 50 metres.

“The document electronic locking system should be able to provide electronic document locking capability and robust reusable lockable containers. Documents will be in security sealed component packaging which is not part of the system.

“The lock must be able to collect and provide information on its interaction with its key or other keys and objects in its contact,” reads part of the statement.

ZIMSEC added that the keys should be programmable and have capacity to be remotely controllable while its battery must have a standby capacity of at least 60 days without the need to recharge.

“The key must have a Global Switched Mobile capability and Subscriber Identity Module controlled via android devices (Bluetooth modem). The application software should be able to be hosted on partitioned server application on ZIMSEC private and secure applications.

“The application should also be accessed through a standard windows WEB client session from an existing desk top environment. The lockable boxes should be of different sizes for different parcel sizes.”

ZIMSEC said it was keen to embrace the latest technological developments in ICT based document security systems as a measure to safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of its examinations in line with its vision, mission and core values.

The latest development comes after some November ordinary level examination papers leaked last year.

Candidates had to re-sit Mathematics paper one and two and English Language Paper one and two.