Mnangagwa Sends Zimsec Bill Back to Parliament

By Staff Reporter | Harare

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has referred the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) Amendment Bill back to Parliament, asking legislators to reconsider provisions over which he has raised reservations.

The development means the Bill will return to the National Assembly for further consideration before it can proceed to the next stage of the legislative process. Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda confirmed the referral, saying Parliament would have to sit and consider the issues raised by the President. The Bill is expected to be recommitted to the Committee of the Whole House, where legislators will consider the provisions identified by the President and determine whether amendments are required.

The referral does not mean that the legislation has been rejected outright. Rather, it gives Parliament an opportunity to reconsider the disputed provisions and, where necessary, make changes before the Bill is returned to the President. The Zimsec Amendment Bill was introduced as part of the Government's efforts to strengthen the security and administration of public examinations amid persistent concerns over examination malpractice and the leakage of question papers. Parliament's bill-status records identify the legislation as H.B. 4A, 2025, under the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. The Bill was gazetted in June 2025.

Tougher penalties for exam malpractice

The proposed amendments seek to expand the range of offences covered under the Zimsec Act and introduce tougher penalties for examination malpractice. The legislation also seeks to address forms of cheating associated with modern technology, including the use of electronic and smart devices during examinations. Other provisions deal with collusion and conduct that compromises the integrity of examinations.

Parliament previously approved amendments that increased the maximum proposed penalty for examination malpractice from two years to five years. Legislators also introduced an appeal mechanism for candidates and examination centres affected by decisions taken by Zimsec in relation to examination malpractice.

The Bill further seeks to strengthen Zimsec's regulatory powers over examination centres. Among its proposed changes is an express power for Zimsec to monitor examination centres and deregister centres that fail to comply with its standards, subject to the applicable regulations. The legislation also proposes changes to the composition and expertise of the Zimsec Board, including representation with skills in areas such as auditing, finance, information technology, human resources and risk management.

Examination leaks remain a concern

The reforms come against a background of repeated concerns over the security of public examinations in Zimbabwe. Zimsec is responsible for administering the country's public examinations and protecting their integrity. Examination paper leaks and other forms of malpractice have periodically raised questions about the security of the examination system.

The proposed amendments are therefore intended to give the examinations body stronger legal and administrative tools to prevent, detect and punish malpractice. However, the Bill has also attracted scrutiny over some of its provisions, including questions around the exercise of Zimsec's proposed powers over examination centres. The President's decision to return the Bill means Parliament will now have to consider his reservations before the legislative process can proceed.

The exact provisions identified by the President had not been publicly detailed in the information available at the time of publication. Once Parliament has considered the reservations and made any necessary amendments, the Bill can proceed through the remaining constitutional legislative procedures. The latest development therefore delays the Bill's enactment but keeps the proposed examination-security reforms alive.

For schools, learners, teachers and examination centres, the outcome could have significant implications, particularly if the amended law introduces tougher consequences for examination malpractice and gives Zimsec stronger powers to police examination centres. The Bill's return to Parliament also provides legislators with an opportunity to address any constitutional, legal or practical concerns before the proposed amendments become law.

The legislation will therefore remain before Parliament until the President's reservations have been considered and the House completes the required process.

Zimsec Amendment Bill