Teacher (48) Sentenced for ZIMSEC Examination Fraud
A teacher from Hwange has been convicted and sentenced to 12 months in prison for writing a Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) Mathematics examination on behalf of three O Level pupils. Mkululi Moyo, 48, was found guilty of unlawfully and intentionally impersonating students from Hwange High School during the November 2023 Maths Paper 2 examination.
According to the prosecution, Moyo collaborated with an invigilator named Mark Bhebhe, who is currently at large. The illicit scheme involved Bhebhe receiving the written answer scripts from Moyo and passing them on to the unsuspecting candidates. The students then filled in their personal details on the answer scripts and submitted the papers as if they had completed them themselves. As a result of his involvement, Moyo received a reward of US$150.
The unlawful activity came to the attention of ZIMSEC examiners in December of the same year when they detected a discrepancy between the handwriting in the personal details section and the rest of the answer script. Subsequent investigations revealed that the students involved were from Hwange High School.
On 22nd March 2024, an investigating team visited Hwange High School and presented the answer scripts to the headmaster. He confirmed that the handwriting on the papers belonged to the accused teacher, Mkululi Moyo.
In light of the evidence, Moyo was brought before the Hwange magistrates’ court to face the charges against him. The court found him guilty of impersonation and sentenced him to 12 months in jail.
This incident has raised concerns about the integrity of the examination system and the need for stringent measures to prevent such fraudulent activities. The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council has vowed to strengthen its monitoring and security measures to safeguard the credibility of examinations.
