US$11K Scam: Harare College Fakes Cambridge Exams, Parents Demand Justice
Parents and guardians of 16 students at Destiny Achievers College in Harare are calling on authorities to act swiftly after an alleged exam scam left their children with fake Cambridge O-Level results and no accountability in sight.
The school’s owner, Ms Cynthia Gambiza, is at the centre of the controversy, but concerned parents say she has gone quiet, her phone has been off for days, and she is nowhere to be found.
According to the parents, the trouble started last year when the school allegedly failed to register students for the November 2023 Cambridge exams, despite collecting exam fees. Students were told they’d get another chance in June 2024, but that turned into a bigger nightmare.
Instead of writing the promised Cambridge papers, learners were reportedly made to sit fake exams in June—held at a rented venue under the false claim that the school had partnered with a Cambridge-accredited institution. The exams cost the parents US$11,000 collectively.
The scandal unravelled when students noticed that the Mathematics paper was a recycled version of the 2023 exam, only updated with a new date on the cover page. Suspicion turned to outrage.
The affected students were part of a group of 30 who had been told last year that they missed the November exams because the school hadn’t submitted their national ID documents on time. The school offered the June sitting as a fix—but that too turned out to be fraudulent.
Seven parents who doubted the school’s excuses demanded refunds and reported the matter to police. The case is now before the courts. In January, Ms Gambiza appeared in court on charges of defrauding students of US$4,000 in exam fees, and the trial is ongoing.
Frustrated parents, many of whom paid US$650 in tuition and between US$600–US$1,000 in exam fees, are now demanding full refunds and criminal charges for those involved.
When contacted by The Herald, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, Harare provincial police spokesperson, confirmed that the case is under investigation. However, he noted that the RRB number parents cited referred to a separate matter involving school staff who were allegedly misled about their children’s exam fees being covered.
Amid the fallout, reports say that Ms Gambiza collapsed and is currently receiving medical treatment at a private hospital in Mandara.
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