Zimbabwe eMAP Form 1 Boarding Application Now Open

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has officially opened the Electronic Ministry Application Platform (eMAP) for the 2026 Form 1 boarding school intake. Parents and guardians across Zimbabwe can now submit applications for their children’s boarding places online through the portal emap.co.zw.

The system, which went live in early November, will remain open until 31 December 2025. After that date, the portal will close and no new applications will be accepted.

What is eMAP?

eMAP is the government’s online platform for managing Form 1 boarding school applications. It was introduced to replace the manual process that required parents to travel to schools with handwritten forms, often leading to long queues and limited transparency.

Through eMAP, parents can apply for boarding places from anywhere in the country using a smartphone or computer. The only information needed to register is the child’s Grade 7 examination details, centre number, candidate number, and date of birth.

Once registered, applicants can select up to five boarding schools they would like their child to be considered for. The platform then forwards applications directly to those schools for processing.

How the system works

After submitting an application, parents can track progress through the eMAP dashboard. Each submission is marked with one of several statuses, including Pending, Accepted, Processed, or Rejected.

When a school offers a place, the parent or guardian receives an SMS notification. If the offer is accepted, all other pending applications are automatically cancelled. If the offer is declined, that space is given to another applicant, and there is no guarantee of receiving a second offer.

This approach is meant to streamline admissions and ensure that available places are allocated fairly and quickly.

Key dates to remember

Applications for 2026 Form 1 boarding places opened in November 2025 and will close on 31 December 2025. Parents are encouraged to apply early rather than waiting until the deadline, as popular schools tend to fill up fast.

How to apply

1. Go to emap.co.zw/Form1Enrol

2. Register using your child’s centre number, candidate number, and date of birth

3. Log in and select up to five boarding schools

4. Submit your application and check back regularly for updates

The process is free of charge. For those in rural areas or without reliable internet access, nearby schools or district education offices can assist with the online registration.

Things to keep in mind

It is important to choose schools wisely. Each of the five schools you select is treated equally, there is no ranking or order of preference. Parents should therefore consider factors such as cut-off points, location, school fees, and travel distance before submitting choices.

Once a place has been accepted, the applicant cannot hold other pending offers. Accepting one place automatically removes the rest from the system.

Parents should also ensure that their contact numbers are active, as SMS notifications are the main channel for communication about offers.

eMAP was introduced to make the selection process more transparent and efficient. It allows the Ministry to monitor applications centrally and reduces the need for parents to physically visit multiple schools. However, access challenges remain for families in areas with limited internet coverage or frequent power cuts.

The opening of eMAP marks the beginning of a busy period for thousands of families preparing to send their children to secondary school. Parents are encouraged to log on early, make informed school selections, and respond promptly to any offers received.

For more details, visit emap.co.zw or contact your nearest education district office for assistance.