Online Reporter
Ian Zhakata
Zimpapers Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) has introduced personalised answer sheets and trackable examination materials as part of enhanced security measures for this year’s public examinations.
The measures, designed to prevent cheating and safeguard the integrity of the exams, cover the entire examination chain, from printing and packaging to distribution, storage and use by candidates.
Security features embedded in question papers will allow Zimsec to trace materials to the centres to which they were allocated, while personalised answer sheets are designed to prevent substitution or smuggling of scripts into examination rooms.
Grade Seven examinations begin tomorrow, while Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations start on October 12.
Zimsec public relations manager Mrs Nicky Dhlamini said the council was fully prepared. “The season for final examinations is upon us, starting with the Grade Seven examinations on the 21st of September 2026,” she said. “Zimsec is fully prepared for the start of the examinations. Question papers and stationery are already being distributed to the cluster centres ready for collection by centres.”
Dhlamini said security and examination integrity remained a priority, with technological advances strengthening safeguards.
“From printing to distribution and eventually the sitting of examinations, everything is closely monitored by security and loss-control teams,” she said.
The tracking system means that if candidates gain premature access to question papers, security teams can trace the materials to their centre of origin, allowing investigations to focus on the source of the breach.
Zimsec said the measures were designed to target those responsible without prejudicing innocent candidates.
