Form One Entrance Tests Outlawed

Form One Entrance Tests Outlawed

FORM ONE entrance tests have been outlawed, amid reports that the screening method was being used as a money-making gimmick by some schools.

Government has since directed that only Grade Seven results be used for admission into Form One.

How To Access Grade 7 Results On the Zimsec portal

Speaking at a UNICEF training on Children’s rights, Ministry of Primary and secondary Education spokesperson Mr Taungana Ndoro said entrance examinations were now “illegal” in Zimbabwe.

“The correct position for the entrance tests is that they are not legal, they are actually illegal,” said Mr Ndoro.

“The Permanent Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education Mr Moses Mhike issued a Press statement to the effect that all Form Ones for 2024, who want to go to boarding schools must use the electronic platform.

“Boarding schools should use the electronic ministry application platform which is the e-map and it can be accessed on www.emap.co.zw and then they can register right away. The platform opened on the 1st of November to the 15th of January 2024.

Form One Entrance Tests Outlawed

“When the Grade Seven results are then out and uploaded by ZIMSEC, heads of schools will now have access to that e-map platform to take those pupils whom they feel should come to their schools because they have put their schools first, second or third choice depending also on the quality of the results of those children,” he said.

“This is one strategy, the e-map strategy, that we are using as Government to stamp out corruption, because we have heard issues of enrolment which is being paid for.

“No child or parent in this country is supposed to pay for enrolment to the school that is nearest to them or to a school they need their child to be enrolled in. We are having cases where certain heads of schools are having underhand dealings, perhaps with their school development committees, to enrol pupils for Grade One, ECD and even for Form One and Form Five.

“This is why we have this platform, the electronic ministry application, to ensure that it’s all transparent and it is all online and it can be monitored and there is no exchange of money underhand. We as the Ministry have the capacity and our first witness are parents themselves.