Online Reporter
Zvamaida Murwira
Senior Reporter
The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Amendment Bill and the Tourism Amendment Bill are now heading for the Senate after they sailed through the National Assembly last week.
Both Bills received a thumbs up from the Parliamentary Legal Committee after the National Assembly adopted additional amendments during the Committee Stage, which analyses Bills clause by clause.
The Zimsec Amendment Bill seeks to strengthen security measures around examinations and address widespread malpractices within the education system, such as exam paper leakages.
The Tourism Amendment Bill seeks to establish a standalone Tourism Fund, as the Government pushes to transform the sector into a US$5 billion industry.
Senate president Mabel Chinomona has since informed the House that they had received the two Bills from the National Assembly.
“I have to inform the Senate that I have received the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Amendment Bill (H. B. 4A, 2025) and the Tourism Bill (H. B. 7A, 2025) from the National Assembly,” said Cde Chinomona.
During debate in the National Assembly, legislators adopted additional amendments from backbenchers meant to strengthen the security of examinations.
They adopted tougher penalties for examination cheats while approving an elaborate appeal mechanism for candidates or examination centres aggrieved by decisions made by Zimsec regarding malpractice.
Legislators agreed to increase the maximum penalty for exam malpractice from the initially proposed two years to five years.
They also added a clause allowing an aggrieved candidate or examination centre to appeal an adverse decision – such as deregistration – to the responsible minister.
During the Committee Stage, where legislators examined the Bill clause by clause, the National Assembly adopted a proposal from Kuwadzana Member of Parliament, Mr Chalton Hwende, to raise the penalty for exam cheating from Level 7 to the maximum Level 14 on the standard scale of penalties.
Level 14 carries a fine, five years’ imprisonment, or both, while Level 7 provides for a two-year jail term.
Mr Hwende moved that Clause 8 of the Bill be amended to increase penalties for a range of offences, including impersonating a candidate, unlawful possession of examination materials, and forging documents such as examination results.
He noted that Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo had initially proposed Level 7, but argued that tougher penalties were necessary given the gravity of the offences.
Legislators also adopted additional amendments proposed by Proportional Representation MP for Harare Metropolitan, Mrs Ellen Shiriyedenga (CCC), allowing any person or institution aggrieved by a Zimsec board decision to appeal to the responsible minister.
Such decisions include denial of registration as an examination centre, the scope of registration, or cancellation of registration as an examination centre. Mrs Shiriyedenga noted that the current Bill did not provide an appeal process.
On the Tourism Amendment Bill, the National Assembly adopted a standalone tourism fund after a heated debate in which some legislators felt it should reside with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, while others argued for a standalone entity given that the ZTA would equally be a beneficiary of the fund.
