Confusion and anger continue to ripple across households after the sharp increase in public examination fees, with parents and candidates struggling to come to terms with the full removal of government subsidies.
Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) Ordinary Level fees now stand at US$24 per subject, up from US$11, while Advanced Level fees have doubled to US$48 per subject from US$24, as outlined in Finance Circular Number 2 of 2026.
For many families, the totals are daunting US$216 for nine O-Level subjects and US$144 for three A-Level subjects
Some parents remain in denial, insisting the figures are not new. “I don’t think there is any change in the exam fees. The US$24 has always been there,” one parent said.
Others said the reality is hitting hard. A parent in Mutoko described the increases as scandalous adding that the powers that be are living in a dreamland and are divorced from reality, as families already struggle to afford food, transport, and school levies
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The fee increases have reignited debate over access to education, with parents warning that the changes could push vulnerable learners out of the system altogether. Some families say they are now being forced to reduce the number of subjects their children sit for, a move that could limit future academic and career opportunities.
Several parents also questioned the timing of the hikes, coming at the start of the year when households face multiple financial pressures, including school fees, uniforms, and transport costs.
“We are being asked to budget wisely, but there is nothing left to budget,” one parent said, adding that exams were once the one area where government support offered relief.
Teachers said the impact is already filtering into classrooms. Learners are anxious about whether they will be registered on time, while schools are caught between enforcing ZIMSEC deadlines and listening to parents plead for extensions.
“Education has officially been commercialised. The poor are going to suffer,” said Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general Raymond Majongwe, blaming the government for shifting the burden onto households.
The pressure is compounded by penalties. Late registration attracts a US$48 fine, while subject changes cost US$11, prompting warnings for parents to plan ahead before the February 27 deadline. While ZIMSEC allows payments in both US dollars and Zimbabwean dollars, parents say fluctuating exchange rates and low incomes make budgeting unpredictable.
As the February deadline approaches, the fee hikes have become a wider symbol of the economic strain facing ordinary Zimbabweans, raising uncomfortable questions about who ultimately bears the cost of education and whether equal access can still be guaranteed under the current system.
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