Government has moved to end the blanket payment of Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) fees for all pupils, opting instead to direct financial assistance towards learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The revised arrangement means pupils whose families can afford examination fees will no longer automatically benefit from the subsidy, while learners in rural and satellite schools and those covered by the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) will continue receiving Government support.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Zhemu Soda announced the changes during a post-Cabinet briefing in Harare on Tuesday.
He said Cabinet had approved a review of the Zimsec Examination Fee Subsidy Framework and Examination Finance Model, following a proposal presented by Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube.
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Government Moves Away From Universal Exam Subsidy
The examination subsidy was introduced in 2020 as part of Government efforts to make national examinations more accessible to pupils facing financial difficulties.
Initially, the programme operated on a cost-sharing basis, with Government covering 53 percent of the fees and parents paying the remaining 47 percent.
The Government contribution was subsequently increased to 55 percent in 2021, reducing the parental share to 45 percent.
However, the Finance Ministry has raised concerns that the universal arrangement has been benefiting pupils whose families can afford to pay examination fees without assistance.
Professor Ncube said the existing system was not adequately identifying learners who genuinely needed financial support.
He also highlighted the growing financial pressure on the programme, saying the Government needed to balance examination subsidies against other national spending priorities.
Which Pupils Will Continue Getting Government Support?
Under the revised framework, financial assistance will be retained for learners considered most vulnerable.
These include pupils attending rural primary and secondary schools, satellite schools and those enrolled in institutions covered by BEAM.
Dr Soda said the BEAM component of the programme would continue until 2028.
The changes are intended to ensure that limited Government resources are directed towards pupils who would otherwise struggle to meet the cost of sitting national examinations.
Government Seeks Sustainable Examination Funding Model
The review is also aimed at protecting the long-term financing of Zimbabwe’s national examinations system.
According to Professor Ncube, the financial demands of maintaining the universal subsidy have become increasingly difficult to sustain amid fiscal constraints and competing national priorities.
The revised model is therefore expected to strike a balance between supporting disadvantaged learners and ensuring the continued funding, security and administration of Zimsec examinations.
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