Schools To Refund ZIMSEC Exam Fees For Candidates Exceeding Subject Limits

Candidates sitting Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) Ordinary Level exams will now be limited to a maximum of nine subjects, while those taking Advanced Level will be allowed up to three.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s Director of Communications and Advocacy, Taungana Ndoro, told The Sunday Mail that schools have been instructed not to accept fees for subjects beyond these limits.

He added that candidates who have already paid for extra subjects will be refunded. Said Ndoro:

“The policy on putting a cap on the number of subjects that one has to register for their O- and A-Level subjects is ongoing.

“We will not accept registration fees from those who want to register for more than the stipulated number of subjects. Those who paid for more will get refunded.”

The new policy comes as the government moves to align assessment practices with the Heritage-Based Curriculum and to curb the growing trend of candidates registering for too many subjects.

In the past, candidates could register for as many subjects as they wanted, with some taking unusually high numbers, which risked affecting the overall quality of their performance.

ZIMSEC has set 27 March as the registration deadline for the November 2026 public exams.

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