Online Reporter
Nokuthula Dube
Only 30 000 Form One boarding school places are available for the 2026 academic year, the Government has confirmed.
This year, about 418 000 candidates sat for Grade Seven public examinations, and are expected to join high schools next month for Form One.
Examinations, Zimsec, released the Grade Seven results last month. An average of 100 000 learners apply for Form One places at both public and private boarding schools annually through the Electronic Ministry Application Platform (EMAP).
EMAP is an online system that allows Grade Seven learners to apply for Form One boarding school places.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education launched the online platform in 2017.
In an interview, the ministry’s communications and advocacy director, Mr Taungana Ndoro, said: “EMAP is currently open for applications for Form 1 placements for the upcoming academic year.
“We can only know the number that have taken up vacancies, and this hovers around 30 000; however, we have not yet established how many learners have registered on the platform so far.
“As of now, we have received a significant number of applications, although exact figures are still being compiled. We will provide updated statistics shortly.”
Mr Ndoro said the feedback from parents shows progress every year.
“The EMAP system has been designed to streamline the application process, making it more efficient for both schools and parents,” he said.
“Feedback indicates it has improved transparency and reduced waiting times for placement decisions.”
Mr Ndoro praised EMAP’s robustness, efficiency, and transparency in managing student placement.
“In efforts to support parents, nationwide awareness campaigns will be conducted through provincial and district offices before the application window opens,” he said.
“These will include demonstrations, printed step-by-step guides, and help desks at education offices to assist parents requiring technical support.
“Schools are also tasked with guiding Grade 7 parents through the application process to ensure smooth use of the platform.”
Mr Ndoro said currently, there are no plans to extend eMAP for A-Level placements since the boarding places allocation challenge primarily exists at Form 1.
“A-Level placements largely operate through existing institutional processes, focusing on day scholars.
“Additionally, the system has been highly effective in limiting human intervention and eradicating corruption by automating the matching of student qualifications to school cut-off points and available capacity.
“The ministry emphasised that this merit-based, transparent, and auditable process removes opportunities for manipulation, fostering trust in the placement system,” he said.
However, on school fees, the Government reiterated all schools must adhere strictly to approved fee structures.
“Parents are advised to pay only these official fees; financial assistance is provided exclusively through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) to vulnerable learners, and the Ministry itself does not give direct subsidies.
“Parents facing financial difficulties are encouraged to engage school authorities for structured payment plans,” he added.
To promote inclusivity, all learners—including marginalised groups such as rural students and those with disabilities—compete equally for Form 1 boarding places.
The ministry, he said continues to implement policies for inclusive infrastructure, specialised teacher training, and curriculum adaptation to support equal access.
BEAM further supports students from marginalised groups. Regarding concerns about the digital divide, the ministry clarified that EMAP targets boarding placements, which are typically sought by well-resourced families able to access digital tools.
Day-school placements, which encompass the majority of learners, are handled conventionally at district and school levels and thus are not affected by digital access barriers.
Mr Ndoro said the broader digitalisation strategy for general learning is advancing alongside national infrastructure development.
