Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC)

It is an internationally accredited examinations board. Its syllabuses were evaluated by the National Academic Recognition and Information Centre (NARIC) in the UK, and found to be equivalent to the General Certificate of Education Standard offered in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, United States of America and the other English speaking countries, hence the internationally recognized qualifications conferred by the Council.

Our Vision:
To be the centre of excellence within the Sub–region and beyond in Quality Assessment in Education.

Our Mission:
The quality assessment of candidates` learning performance and awarding of nationally and internationally recognised certificates at different levels of the school education system, while optimally utilizing the Human and Material resources available to it.

Our Core Values:

• Commitment
• Professionalism
• Integrity and Honesty
• Innovation
• Accountability
• Security and Confidentiality

Significance:
The aim of ZIMSEC is to offer an excellent, value driven, educational assessment and responsive awarding system. Through maximum capacity utilization, the Council is gearing itself to continually exceed expectations.ZIMSEC carries out quality assessment to guarantee the quality of manpower for national development. It identifies potential talents, competencies and skills for future leaders of industry, commerce and government; feeds institutions of higher learning and the employment sector. ZIMSEC sets standards for levels of academic expertise of Zimbabwean nationals for use locally and internationally.

• Brief Historical Background:
  1983 – Cabinet decision to localize Ordinary and Advanced Level Examinations; 
• 1984 – Training of first lot of markers; 
• 1990 – First localized O-Level examination written;
• 1994 – Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Act (ZIMSEC ACT 1994);
• 1995 – Completion of the localization of the Ordinary Level Examination; 
• October 1995 – First ZIMSEC Board appointed; 
• November 1995 – Birth of ZIMSEC Council under an Interim Director; 
• July 1, 1996 – First substantive ZIMSEC Director appointed; 
• November 1, 1996 – Former Examinations Branch staff joined ZIMSEC after abolition from the Public Service. 
• November 2002 – First ZIMSEC A-Level Examination written; 
• 2003 – Completion of the localization of A-Level examinations.

Advantages to the nation of having ZIMSEC:

• Indigenization of the curriculum would be guaranteed, ensuring that education was made relevant to the socio-economic environment. In particular teaching and assessment materials would be drawn from an environment with which learners are familiar and to which they can relate and apply their learning.
• Economic considerations: government would be able to determine the levels of examination fees in accordance with the prevailing economic environment; the localization would stem the flow of foreign currency from the country.
• Educational Consideration: transfer of skills (question setting, marking and grading) from foreigners to locals; increased confidence in the educational fields as locals became more and more confident in handling examination issues.
• Political Considerations: localization ensures the end of colonial curricula in Zimbabwe.