Zimbabwe to Mandate Single National Exam System by 2027

Zimbabwe will overhaul its assessment regime in 2027, compelling every school to use a single national examinations framework. Under the plan, all learners will be required to sit tests set by the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC).

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerayi Moyo said the reform targets the country’s entrenched dual track. For years, many of Zimbabwe’s elite private institutions have focused almost exclusively on Cambridge Assessment International Education, sidelining ZIMSEC. The new policy, he said, is designed to dismantle a “two-tier system” that has left national qualifications viewed as second best to international credentials.

Critics counter that ZIMSEC’s history of credibility lapses—from leaked papers to delayed results—could disadvantage students seeking places at foreign universities and question whether the State should control exam choices. The ministry acknowledges these concerns but maintains the overhaul is non-negotiable.