Government scraps Cambridge Exams?

By Staff Reporter
HARARE- Zimbabwe’s Education Minister, Torerayi Moyo, has announced that schools wishing to offer Cambridge examinations alongside the national system must now apply for permission and provide clear justification, as the government moves toward a unified examination framework from 2027.

The directive, issued on May 1, 2026, forms part of a broader policy requiring all schools — including private institutions — to register learners for examinations administered by the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council as a compulsory standard.
One National Examination System

Minister Moyo made it clear that the government intends to end the coexistence of parallel examination systems.

“From 2027, Zimbabwe will require every school without exception to register its learners for ZIMSEC examinations. The era of parallel foreign examination systems operating outside our national framework is over,” he said.

He emphasised that compliance is mandatory across the education sector.

“It’s mandatory for all students to write ZIMSEC… This is not negotiable. Government policy is unambiguous — comply or fall out of step with the direction this Republic is moving.”

The policy direction was also reinforced during a Senate session on the same day, where the Minister stated that the move is grounded in existing laws and the Constitution.
While Cambridge examinations have not been outlawed, schools will no longer be allowed to offer them independently without government approval.

“Schools wishing to offer both ZIMSEC and Cambridge should apply for permission to do so provided there is justification for it,” Moyo explained.

He added that institutions must demonstrate how they will effectively manage both systems if granted approval.

This effectively positions Cambridge as a supplementary qualification rather than an alternative to the national system.



The reforms are closely tied to the government’s push to strengthen Zimbabwe’s Heritage-Based Curriculum across all schools.

Authorities have raised concerns over declining emphasis on local history and indigenous languages, with Moyo noting that many institutions no longer adequately teach Zimbabwe’s historical context or native languages such as Shona, Ndebele, Kalanga, Shangani, and Tonga.

The government argues that the policy aims to ensure all learners are assessed under a standardised national framework while remaining rooted in Zimbabwe’s cultural identity.

Officials maintain that the shift is intended to promote consistency, equal recognition of qualifications, and a stronger alignment with national values.