By Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
Zim GBC News Editor
BULAWAYO, – In a powerful display of public frustration, Bulawayo residents have called for mandatory 10-year prison sentences for Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) employees involved in leaking examination papers.
The demands were voiced during emotionally charged public hearings on the ZIMSEC Amendment Bill conducted by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education at a city hotel on Wednesday.
The hearings revealed deep-seated anger over repeated examination leaks that have compromised the integrity of Zimbabwe’s education system and threatened the future of thousands of students. With the proposed legislation aiming to update the 1994 ZIMSEC Act, residents seized the opportunity to demand stringent accountability measures targeting the source of leakages rather than just those who distribute leaked materials .
Voices from the Public Hearing
Sehlile Thebe, a prominent education advocate and National Executive member of the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (ZIMTA), presented a compelling case for harsh penalties targeting ZIMSEC officials directly .
“A question paper cannot suddenly find its way into a teacher’s or learner’s mobile phone. It would have originated from somewhere, and that somewhere is ZIMSEC. I therefore propose a mandatory 10-year prison sentence for ZIMSEC officials who are complicit in the leakages,” Thebe stated emphatically.
Her sentiments were echoed by Monalisa Dube, who argued that the “epicentre” of leakages was the source rather than those caught with the material:
“We are not condoning those who spread the papers, but once we close the source, everything will be in order. Investigations must trace the leaks back to ZIMSEC. I fully support the 10-year sentence — if not more.”
Legislative Context and Committee Process
The hearings are being conducted by a parliamentary committee led by Zaka North legislator Ofias Murambiwa, which is covering five provinces – Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Mashonaland West, and Mashonaland Central. The committee began its program in Lupane before moving to Bulawayo as part of a nationwide consultation running from August 25 to 29, 2025 .
The ZIMSEC Amendment Bill seeks to address critical shortcomings in the existing examination framework, including:
· Strengthening provisions against examination malpractice
· Introducing new offenses related to examination materials
· Establishing stricter penalties for violations
· Improving institutional accountability mechanisms
Clause 8 of the bill specifically attempts to strengthen provisions against examination malpractice by introducing new offenses, including making representations of being in possession of examination material, altering a candidate’s original answer script, unlawfully altering Council records, and forging or altering examination results .
Proposed Penalties and Systemic Challenges
The bill proposes substantially increased penalties for examination malpractices – fines up to Level 7 or imprisonment for up to two years for certain offenses, and up to Level 14 or imprisonment for up to five years for forgery or alteration of results. However, residents are demanding even harsher sentences specifically for ZIMSEC officials involved in leaks .
Critics have noted that while the bill addresses some issues, it fails to tackle several crucial legislative gaps:
· No framework for remuneration of invigilators and other unpaid workers in the examination value chain
· Lack of provisions for state-funded examinations in line with Section 75 of the constitution
· Insufficient mechanisms for enhancing integrity of continuous assessment
· No whistleblower protection framework to encourage reporting of leaks
Regional Comparisons and Broader Reforms
Discent Collins Bajila, Member of Parliament for Emakhandeni-Luveve Constituency, has proposed several evidence-based reforms drawing on international best practices:
“Benchmark with Kenya National Examinations Council Act and introduce internal reporting hotlines and whistle-blower anonymity. Insert a section establishing reporting mechanisms and immunity from retaliation for whistle-blowers,” Bajila recommended .
He also suggested introducing a multistakeholder committee to interview and shortlist prospective ZIMSEC board members, including Parliament, universities, teacher unions, and civil society in the process – similar to systems used by West Africa Examinations Council (WEAC) and Umalusi in South Africa .
Examination Leakages: A Systemic Challenge
The Federation of Zimbabwe Educators Unions (FOZEU) has previously highlighted that examination malpractices often go unreported due to the absence of a clear whistleblower framework. The federation has argued that integrating the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education more directly into the examination value chain could help address leakage issues by devolving management closer to communities and making ZIMSEC more responsive to local challenges .
Obert Masaraure, Secretary General of FOZEU, contends:
“The ZIMSEC remains detached from the real running of exams and won’t be able to tackle the cancer of malpractices without deeper structural reforms that involve frontline educators and communities” .
Next Steps in the Legislative Process
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee will continue gathering public input from additional provinces before compiling a comprehensive report for parliamentary debate. The strengthened legislation comes amid growing public demand for decisive action to preserve the credibility of Zimbabwe’s education system and protect the value of academic qualifications earned in the country.
As hearings continue across other provinces, committee members anticipate further strong reactions from citizens who have witnessed the damaging effects of examination leaks on students’ futures and the reputation of Zimbabwe’s education system internationally.
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