MINISTRY OF PRIMARY AND

SECONDARY EDUCATION
COMPETENCE BASED
CURRICULUM
ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT
TEACHER MANUAL
DEFINITION OF KEY CONCEPTS
• Competency-based Education (CBE): is defined as “data-based,
adaptive, performance-oriented set of integrated processes
that facilitate, measure, record and certify, within the context
of flexible time parameters, the demonstration of known,
explicitly stated, and agreed upon learning outcomes that
reflect successful functioning in life roles (Spady, 1977; pp.22)

• Assessment: the process of collecting and synthesizing,

knowledge skills, attitudes, and beliefs in addition to
documenting and interpreting information to aid classroom
decision-making; includes information gathered about
learners, instruction, and classroom climate. When it is
practised, students are encouraged to be more active in their
learning and associated evaluation
DEFINITION OF KEY CONCEPTS
Continuous Assessment:
• It is an on-going system of monitoring and assessing learners’ progress with
the aim of helping them improve their learning. It is done in the school
environment through daily teaching, projects, quizzes, tests, interviews and
observations. The assessment should also cover assessment of Learning
(Summative assessment). This is daily monitoring of learners progress and
collecting information on learners’ ability to demonstrate the required
competences in carrying out CALAs.

Continuous Assessment Learning Activity (CALA)

• This is any learning activity or assessment that requires learners to perform,
demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and proficiency. Continuous
Assessment Learning Activity yields a tangible product and/or performance that
serve as evidence of learning. A Continuous Assessment Learning Activity
presents a situation that calls for learners to apply their learning in context.

Pathway research project:

• A detailed study venture done by a learner in a chosen career area.
HOW TO USE THIS ASSESSMENT MANUAL
• This document does not replace the syllabi in the
different learning areas, but should be used in
conjunction with other policy documents such as the
Curriculum Framework (2015-2022), the Education
Sector Strategic Plan (2016-2020), 2015-2022 Syllabi for
all Learning Areas. The document should be viewed as
part and parcel of the daily teaching and learning
processes in schools.
• Teachers are to continuously assess learners and
produce mark profiles on acquired competencies at
various levels and in different learning environments.
The success of this new assessment paradigm is hinged
on assessment competencies that teachers have.
 INTRODUCTION
• This document is a guide for assessment in the Curriculum
Framework for Primary and Secondary Education (2015-
2022). The assessment procedures were designed to
accommodate Continuous Assessment (CA) component
which constitute 30% of the final mark in all examinations
commencing. marking, moderation, supervision,
monitoring and support procedures are also spelled out as
they form a base for successful implementation of CA.
• The trainings are targeted at practicing classroom
practitioners for the particular levels and learning areas. It
is important that CALA and pathway research projects are
marked and moderated to the same standard so that
ZIMSEC can award the right grade to every candidate every
time. 
RATIONALE FOR CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT
•The Continuous Assessment model has been proved by research to be a model that
engages both the teacher and the learner in a productive and beneficial way. It is an
assessment model that makes the learner active in the teaching-learning process because
there is continuous learner engagement where the teacher and the learner work and
share ideas on learner progress during a given period of learning.
•Observations are that summative assessments do not adequately assess all learner
competences since they are largely pen and paper examinations administered at the end
of a course or learning period. In addition, summative assessments have been observed to
have a backwash effect which has been negative in that teachers teach for the test,
ignoring fundamental skills and competencies that learners need. In this 21st century, the
idea is to have a top-notch assessment model whose measurement outcomes truly
represent a person’s competences, knowledge, skills, beliefs and attitudes.
•Continuous assessment has been adopted as that kind of assessment model which moves
away from a singular final examination to a system of assessments where multiple forms
of assessment become an integral part of the teaching-learning process, placement and
certification. It is a form of cumulative appraisal which coordinates the performance of
individual learners from the 1st grade at infant level up to the last grade at secondary
school level, taking into consideration the learners' performance throughout the entire
period of schooling in order to render the overall ability of the learner more valid.
RATIONALE FOR CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT
• Continuous assessment is holistic, comprehensive, guidance-oriented, diagnostic,
and systematic in nature. It focuses on the development of the whole learner and
the promotion of 21st Century skills and competences that promote survival in any
environment through completion of real-world activities. Continuous assessment is
guidance oriented and demands teacher-learner collaboration in setting and
achieving learning targets using various strategies such as peer and self-assessment
among others.
• It is a process of showing learners where they are with reference to certain set goals,
and how to get there by developing and supporting the development of their skills
and competences through the provision of constructive and prompt feedback. It
equips learners and teachers with the capacity to detect areas of strengths and
weaknesses and how to remedy the weaknesses through strengths. Thus, learners
come to understand their proficiencies and knowledge gaps.
• Through CA, learners actively engage in their learning and have the opportunity to
learn even during the assessment process. They monitor their own learning while
the teacher facilitates the process. Continuous assessment will therefore be useful
as a method of evaluating the progress and achievement of learners throughout
their entire learning period with the aim of getting the truest picture of each
learner’s ability and helping each one of them to develop their abilities to the
fullest.
 GOALS OF ASSESSMENT
• The overall goal of the curriculum is to
promote competency development through
diversity in learning areas. This assessment
framework is spiral in nature from basic
acquisition of foundational skills for learning
in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective
domains at the infant level to deepening
theoretical and practical knowledge of
selected disciplines in preparation for further
education and workplace skills development
at the upper secondary school levels.
 ASSESSMENT GUIDING PRINCIPLES
• Assessment and implementation of
CA is premised on generic principles
guiding the curriculum.
• It upholds and promotes holistic
assessment through: inclusivity,
balance, continuity, coherence,
integration, transparency, gender
sensitivity, life-long learning, respect,
relevance, equity and fairness.
 ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
• Assessment is concerned with measuring performance
against the set standards or benchmarks as defined by the
curriculum. Apart from focusing on mastery of content,
knowledge and its application to practice, it recognises the
acquisition of skills that will make learners productive,
employable and have the capacity to create employment.
• Specifically it promotes: problem solving skills, critical
thinking skills, leadership skills, communication skills,
technological skills, enterprise skills, self-management
skills, management skills, and learning and innovation
skills. In addition, performance based assessment
provides for the development of positive attitudes,
attributes, values and national identity.
 PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT
• All learners are assessed at different levels generally for;
• Teacher Evaluation,
• Keeping progress on a learner,
• Parent tracking on learner progress,
• Learners to measure progress,
• Accountability by T.I.C, Head and Inspectorate.
• School based profiling,
• Teaching and learning improvement,
• Competencies, skills and attitudes development,
• Talent identification and nurturing,
• Research skills development,
• Certification
• To improve teaching and learning
• To develop competencies, skills and attitudes.
• To identify and nurture talent.
• To develop Research Skills
PROPERTIES OF GOOD ASSESSMENT
MEASURES
• Fairness
• Flexibility
• Validity
• Reliability
• Accurate Differentiation
• Feasibility
TEACHERS ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Develop CA Learning Area Assessment instruments,
• Contextualise CALA,
• Facilitate learning & CALA execution
• Administer CA Learning Area Assessment instruments,
• Monitor, supervise and support learners during CA activity
execution,
• Mark CA learner work,
• Keep CA records,
• Profile learner competencies,
• Report performance of learners to stakeholders,
• Providing information on performance of the learner to parents and
other stakeholders,
• Ensure security of CALA scripts,
• Guarding against malpractice.
THE ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK MATRIX
This section provides key units in the assessment framework matrix and what is involved.
9.1 Level
• These are subdivisions of formal learning, typically covering Early Childhood Education, Primary Education and Secondary Education.
9.2 Type of Assessment
• A range of assessment approaches can be used for different reasons at various stages in the learning sequence. For example,
Continuous Assessment in for Formative, Diagnostic or Evaluative assessments.
 
• Competencies
• Competency is the application of knowledge, skills and behaviours used in performing specific CALAs. Competency assessment is
defined as any system for measuring and documenting personnel competency. For example, Problem solving skills, critical thinking,
leadership, communication and teamwork skills, technological skills, content mastery, basic literacy and numeracy, voluntary,
manifestation of patriotism, discipline, initiative and enterprise skills, planning and organising skills. However these depend on the
topics schemed for.
9.3 Nature of Assessment
• Nature of assessment is embedded in the learning process. It is tightly interconnected with curriculum and instruction. As teachers
and learners work towards the achievement of curriculum outcomes, assessment plays a constant role in informing instruction,
guiding the learner’s next steps, and checking progress and achievement. In this framework learners engage in a;

• Learning Area Activity

• The activity is done per learning area and is broken down into termly components, for example:
• Learning area activity component A.
• Learning area activity component B.
• Learning area activity component C.
 
• CALA helps in the collection of frequent feedback on learners’ learning and how they respond to particular teaching approaches. It
provides opportunity for close observation of learners in the process of learning. It gives learners a measure of their progress as
learners. involves learners and teachers in continuous monitoring of learners’ learning.
 THE ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK MATRIX
Project
• Learners carry out a research project in any ONE of the four pathways ( groupings of learning areas) as follows:
Sciences, Arts, Humanities
9.4 Frequency
• The rate at which CALAs and projects are done, for example;
• First term, Second term, Third term.
• One research project per year.
• Begins first term Grade 6 and ends second term Grade 7.
9.5 Development of Assessment Instruments (CALAs and projects)
• To achieve standardized and comparable assessment instruments, they have to be developed and go through the
following;
• Teacher/ Cluster /District/ Province levels.
• MoPSE and ZIMSEC should capacitate the different levels.
9.7 Assessment Records
•  There are a number of things that need to be recorded, and the requirement that assessments need to be conducted
in a timely manner, and the results communicated and recorded promptly.
• Continuous assessment files containing instruments, marking guides, mark schedules, are kept by Teachers and
Deputy Head in both soft and hard copies.
• Learners’ continuous assessment work is kept at the school.
• CA marks to be submitted to ZIMSEC when required.
9.8 Competencies to be assessed
• 21st century skills and competencies such as, problem solving, critical thinking, leadership, communication and
teamwork skills, technological skills, content mastery, basic literacy and numeracy, voluntary, manifestation of
patriotism, discipline, initiative and enterprise skills, planning and organising skills are considered for learners profile.
 THE CA DOCUMENTS
• Teacher’s guide-This explains the CALA to the teacher and the conditions under which the activity
must be executed.
• Learner’s guide-This explains the CA

LA to the learner and the conditions of execution.

• Achievement Standards-These explain how learner performance on a CALA will be graded.
• 10.1 Marking Guide-This explains how learners’ work will be marked
• 10.2 Forms to be completed before administration
• Learner Declaration Form – this form declares that the work of the learner is original and is solely the
effort of the learner.
• Learning Area Teacher Declaration Form –this form is where the teacher declares that he/she has
supervised the learner and no undue assistance was given.
• Centre Head Declaration Form – this is where the Head declares that he/she has supervised the CA
process and the marks are authentic
• Malpractice form – this form is completed where cases of malpractice have been detected. See
appendix A
COMPONENTS OF TEACHER & LEARNER GUIDES
• 11.1 Teacher CALA Guides
• This is guided by the syllabus.
• CALA Type: the broad expected outcomes, deliverables
• Topic: specific
• Concepts/ Skills: related to the specific topic
• Dimensions/ Criteria to be assessed : scope of related content
• Objectives to be assessed: related to the skills being assessed
• CALA Context: give the context and background of the problem to be
solved
• 11.2Learner CALA Guide
• Topic: specific
• Background: context of the problem to be solved
• The Activity: detail of the problem and what needs to be done, including
mark allocation were applicable.
• How you will be assessed: detailed information on how the learner will be
assessed
 ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS
• Achievements Standards – these are descriptions of the expected qualities of a learner’s
work that provide a basis for judging how well the learner has demonstrated that they
know, understand and can do.
• The marking guide and achievement standards both speak to teacher’s and learner’s
CALA guides
• Achievement standards are descriptions of the expected qualities of a learner’s work
that provide a basis for judging how well the learner has demonstrated what they know,
understand and can do.
• They refer to the quality of learning (the depth of understanding, extent of knowledge
and sophistication of skill) demonstrated by students within a given subject.
• Appropriate descriptors of the standards to be achieved are drawn from the dimensions
and objectives
• Learners should have access to the instrument-specific standards before the assessment,
so that they know the standards that will be used to make a judgment and understand
how the qualities of their responses may be matched to standards descriptors.

Marking Guide / Assessment Rubric

• Marking Guide – this is a plan or guidelines to be used in the marking of learners’ work
 ADMINISTRATION OF CALA
• The teacher’s duty is to facilitate the execution of the
activity by:
• Explaining the requirements of the CALA to the learners
• Explaining the conditions under which the CALA should
be executed
• Sensitising learners on negative effects of plagiarism and
other forms of malpractice
• Contextualising the CALA. The CALA is generic and
therefore the teacher should explain to learners that the
CALA can be implemented in any environment using
locally available resources. On this note, the teacher is
key.
SUPERVISION OF CALA ADMINISTRATION
• Give learners enough time on an activity
• Learners should be allowed to demonstrate skills
• Assessment should follow practice and rehearsals
• Offer meaningful guidance through suggestions and feedback to help
learner stay on track and on CALA
• Hold informative discussions to solicit what the learner understands
about the CALA and direct the learner to more understanding
• The teacher must keep a progress report for each learner.
• Learners must be more involved in CA through promotion of
–self assessment
-peer assessment
• By assessing themselves, learners gain understanding of their own
progress, develop critical, analytical skills
• Self and peer assessment increases learner responsibilities among other
virtues
GUIDELINES FOR SELF AND PEER ASSESSMENT
• encourage learners to work in a spirit of collaboration
• Help learners understand that assessment leads to better understanding which
leads to improvements in their own work
• Assessment is about the learner’s product or performance, not about the learner
• Help the learners identify strengths, weaknesses and suggestions for improvements
• Learners must know the criteria for assessing
• Encourage learners to practice self assessment before assessing others
• Let them know that peer assessments are used for improvement and not for grading
• Need for professional judgment to determine appropriateness of situations and
CALAs that allow peer assessment.
• It improves confidence and teacher-learner collaboration
• Allow learners to use criteria or standard as they assess self and each other
• Discuss the standard to help them understand it
• NB: Learners should not be allowed to grade self and each other for the purposes of
evaluation and record keeping.
MARKING AND MONITORING OF LEARNERS’ WORK
• Supervision and monitoring do not connote teaching of the CALAs, rather they
facilitate learning
• Marking plays a formative role when it is applied to a CALA directly related to the
preceding teaching and learning process.
• Marks are assigned to give feedback to the learner about the learner
• It should be noted that generally marks carry a great deal of importance for learners
and therefore great care and objectivity should be exercised in assigning marks
• In many instances marks are assigned in haste or according to nebulous, undefined
and little understood marking systems
• the parameters of the CALA need to be clear and applicable to all students:
-this involves setting word or time limits,
-requiring all students to cover a preset number of steps or points.
• Failure to set clear and fair parameters can result in marking that is unfair and
inconsistent.
• Establish a criteria based on realistic sets of expectations as to learner performance,
• make expectations clear to all learners before marking takes place to make marking
fair and feedback understandable and acceptable.
MARKING AND MONITORING OF LEARNERS’ WORK
• Marking carried out without reference to explicit criteria risks being unreliable, and
is certain to appear to learners as arbitrary and unfair
• Such marking is unlikely to play its full part in the learning process.
• For marking to be acceptable to the learner and effective in improving CALA
performance, it has to take place in a context of mutual trust and understanding
between assessor and learner. –Dialoguing is critical and central
• The role of the teacher is split into three incompatible personas: teacher as real
audience, teacher as coach, and teacher as evaluator’.
• Thus teachers must continue to be both collaborator and judge
• Marking group CALAs
• Schools place a high premium on individual performance yet the world of
employment, many intellectual, managerial and manual CALAs are prepared and/or
executed in groups.
• When marking group CALAs consider
-only a minority of marks should derive from group assessments
-each learner can be given additional responsibility for a separate section of the group
CALA, enabling an individual mark to be given to each learner
- make sure that weaker learners do not piggy-back (take undue credit) on the skills of
stronger students
 Types of Marking
• Analytic marking/ Point marking
-Is quantitative in nature
-the assessor looks for points and award marks
-there is Identification, Explanation and Exemplification
• Expressionist/holistic/Level Marking
-Is qualitative in nature
-the assessor reads through the learner’s work indicating errors
-The work is then put into levels according to which descriptors it satisfies.
• Errors to guard against when marking fatigue, failure to understand the intentions of those
who created the scoring guideline,
• distractions due to matters such as poor hand writing on the learner’s part and distractions
due to prior learner’s responses.
• Severity or Leniency
• The halo effect
• Central tendency and restriction of range
• Personal bias
• Logical error: This occurs when an examiner assumes that a high degree of ability in one area
means a similar degree of competence in another.
• NB All learner effort must be recognised and be given due reward.
 MODERATION
• Is conceptualized moderation as a process of ensuring:
• consistency of marking for performance CALAs and course projects,
• consistency of assessment for all learners,
• that marking is appropriate and conforms to grade, mark descriptors and achievement standards.
15.1 Rationale for Moderation
• Teachers know their learners very well, therefore are best placed to judge their performance. However, when making these judgments,
teachers are not necessarily aware of the standards of performance across all other schools. There are also factors that disarray the
consistent application of the marking scheme from script to script. Despite training in carrying out CA, and even given that teachers
assess learners on the same performance CALA and project using the same assessment criteria, teachers in one center may be harsher
or more lenient in their judgments than teachers in other centers. They may also tend to use a narrower or wider range of marks.
Given this background, the basis for moderation is to ensure that CA assessments are fair, valid, reliable, consistent and comparable. As
such, moderation becomes an integral part of assuring assessment standards, which in turn guarantees the credibility of qualifications
and helps protect ZIMSEC reputation.
15.2 The Purpose for Moderation
• To ensure: fairness, accuracy and consistency in marking and the provision of results which are an accurate reflection of performance
and can be relied upon,
• the use of appropriate assessment items and assessment pattern,
• appropriate and consistent standards are applied to marking individual pieces of learners' work.
15.3 Documents to be Moderated
• All continuous assessment documents should be easily accessible for moderation.
• The five sets of marked performance CALAs (from the 5 school terms) and one course project for ‘O’ level per learning area.
• The four sets of marked performance CALAs (from the 4 school terms) and one project for ‘A’ level per learning area.
• Portfolios and models, where applicable.
• Teacher, Head of Department and Center head’s progress reports for qualitative analysis.
• CA mark sheets whereby marks are to be matched with the achievement standards.
• Marking guides and their appropriateness to performance CALA and learning. Marking guides validity, reliability and fairness .
• Achievement standards that they accurately reflect learners' levels of learning achievement.
• Declaration forms to ensure that learners work is authentic and no undue assistance was offered.
Continuous Assessment Moderation Techniques
• ZIMSEC shall use expert and statistical moderation methods to moderate CA marks and
scripts submitted by centers.
• Expert moderation
• This relates to;
• Confirmation marking, whereby, learners’ CALAs are marked independently by an expert
using the marking guide
• Statistical Moderation
• The main reason for having statistical moderation is to ensure the fairness of continuous
assessments (CA).
• The statistical moderation method adjusts the average and the spread of CA marks of
learners in a given center so that they are in alignment with the examination marks of the
same group of learners.
• That is the average or mean of the CA marks may be moved up or down and the spread or
standard deviation of marks stretched or compressed, in line with the mean and standard
deviation of the examination marks of the same group of learners.
• This ensures that CA marks are comparable across centers; however, it does not change
the rank ordering of CA marks within a center.
• The method is, however, reliant on the assumption that the measure used to moderate
assessments is a valid measure of the overall level of performance of learners in the
moderating group.
 SAMPLING PROCEDURES
• Marks are captured electronically at the center. Centers shall keep both hard and
soft copies of mark sheets.
• All centers shall submit all continuous assessment mark sheets on compact disks
and hardcopies to ZIMSEC regional offices by end of term for moderation.
• A ratio of six performance CALAs per twenty learners shall be applied as follows;
two highest, two medium and two lowest categories. That is, for every 20 learners
the teacher shall submit 6 scripts (30%) broken down as, 10% highest, 10%
medium and 10% lowest category.
• A ratio of six course projects per twenty learners shall be applied as follows; two
highest, two medium and two lowest categories. That is, for every 20 candidates
the teacher shall submit 6 projects (30%) broken down as, 10% highest, 10%
medium and 10% lowest category.
• Centers with candidates below 20 shall submit all performance CALAs and course
projects.
• The rest of the CALAs and projects are to be arranged at the centre for easy
access by the moderators, for the duration of the course.
• Outstanding continuous assessment mark sheets to be followed up within the five
days of the moderation period.
 Moderation Criteria
• The moderator shall;
• Mark without grading,
• Compile marks per centre,
• Compare marks with the teachers’ and establish
patterns,
• Make recommendations,
• Complete the moderators column correctly,
• Write a detailed report on the exercise.
 Internal Moderation
• After marking has been completed, learners’ CALA
scripts should be moderated at school level.
• Moderation is a quality control exercise which
must be done diligently. This exercise must be
done by a learning area specialist at the school.
• In the event that there is no other learning area
specialist, another specialist from the cluster
should be called upon to moderate.
• Moderation is meant to ensure that marking has
been consistently done across all the scripts.
 External Moderation
• When the scripts have been moderated at school
level, external moderation will take place at
district, provincial and national levels.
• Teachers should note that their school marking
and moderation is of paramount importance and
scripts will be subjected to further moderation at
district, provincial, and national levels. This is
meant to ensure consistence in marking.
• Schools should make sure that their marking and
moderation exhibit high inter-marker reliability
coefficients.
 Moderators
• Moderators shall:
• be practicing teachers,
• have good comprehension of the national syllabus
• have a good understanding of the marking scheme,
• be consistent in the application of the marking
scheme,
• have good subject mastery,
• posses plausible soft skills,
• adhere to deadlines,
• not make additional errors.
 MAKING CA FEEDBACK HELPFUL
• Give positive feedback suggesting what learners
should do to improve
• Feedback must be instructive, allow learners to see
their own progress, challenge them to see the quality
of their work, engage all learners in learning
• Provide extra support to learners who are lagging
behind
• Provide challenges to those learners that are moving
ahead to keep them meaningfully engaged
• Point to the learners the way they learn best and how
they can improve their own learning skills
• Develop in learners a positive feeling about themselves
 RECORD KEEPING
17.1 Learner
• It is the responsibility of the teacher of a particular Learning Area to ensure that each learner has a CA
folder which is well labelled and segmented. The learner folder should contain the following documents:
The CALA
• The CA achievement standards
• CALA execution timelines and progress sheet (This guides the learner and the teacher)
• The marked CALA script
• Work in progress for the project and project timelines
• Guidance notes on the project and CALA
17.2 Teacher
• The teacher should keep records of progress in a learning area. The teacher file must contain the
following documents:
• The CALA for each level
• Marking schemes for each CALA
• Achievement standards for each CALA
• Composite mark sheet per class and level
• Progress report of each learner on the project
NB:
• The file must be segmented into five terms with each term having the above subdivisions/documents.
• The teacher should keep folders for all learners under his/her learning area and the folders must be
accessible by learners, school supervisors and officials from ZIMSEC and the Ministry of Primary and
Secondary Education.
THE DONTs IN CA IMPLEMENTATION
• The school through all its CA implementation structures must ensure
that learners are supported during the execution of CALAs.
• All CA implementers should desist from the following acts:
• Teaching learners the CALA
• Writing the CALA for the learners
• Undue assistance to the learners
• Failure to monitor and supervise learners resulting in collusion, copying
and other acts of malpractice
• Failure to support learners resulting in prejudicing learners of their
expected achievement standard
• Failure to accurately interpret and consistently apply the marking
scheme resulting in low inter-marker reliability, when scripts have been
moderated.
• Colluding with the moderator whether internal or external, among other
acts of misconduct documented in the ZIMSEC Handbook for Centres.
 MALPRACTICE
• Teachers should watch out for cases of malpractice;
• Suspected cases of malpractice involve the following among others:
• Collusion among learners
• Copying the work of other learners
• Plagiarism (copy and paste, failure to acknowledge source of information, etc)
• Undue assistance by other learners, teachers, parents etc
• 19.1 Handling Cases of Malpractice
• If a learner is suspected of committing any one of the above cases, a report on appendix A
must be completed and forwarded to ZIMSEC Regional Office for appropriate action. The
following information should be contained in the form:
• Learning area
• CALA name
• Term
• Level
• Description of the case
• Documentary evidence
• Description of preliminary action taken by the school
• The completed form must be signed by the person who identified the case and the school
head before forwarding to ZIMSEC.
 LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
• The Assessment Framework for learners with special needs shall follow that of the
mainstream classes, but with special arrangements and special considerations
appropriate to each and every assessment activity. Special considerations and
arrangements shall be made for all deserving learners as a matter of right not
charity.
• Learners with special needs are a heterogeneous group; consequently the special
arrangements and special considerations shall assume an individualised approach.
• Notifications for special arrangements, special considerations and the justification for
these shall be made to MoPSE and ZIMSEC in case of public examinations.
• Teachers shall be responsible for developing assessment activities, providing
alternative part questions of the activities and suggesting exemptions where
necessary. Exemptions shall be treated as the last resort measure where
modification and alternatives would have failed to remove the barriers imposed by
the assessment activity. Exemptions shall be done in consultation with ZIMSEC so
that the proper procedures shall be applied consistently.
• Some learners take longer to complete a grade/form than others (e.g. learners with
hearing impairment complete their form four in six years) and administration of
activities shall only be done when these learners are ready.
• Teachers with special needs and teachers of learners with special needs have to be
involved at every stage of the assessment processes.
THANK YOU
TATENDA
SIYABONGA