Bulawayo bureau — Grade 7 results are out and schools started receiving the results yesterday. Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) chairman Professor Norman Maphosa confirmed the development.

"I confirm that we have successfully completed the marking of the 2012 Grade 7 examinations. The results will be sent to various centres across the country," said Prof Maphosa in a telephone interview.

The marking of this year's Grade 7 examinations began a week ago following an outcry over delays in marking.

The examinations body delayed the marking of the examinations, as it was waiting for the Ministry of Finance to release the $1,5 million needed to pay the markers. Cabinet had to intervene over the delay when it ordered Zimsec to use its own resources to fund the exercise.

Prof Maphosa said the marking of the Grade 7 examinations was completed early because the markers were continuing from where they left.

He said the marking process had started some time back and that when marking resumed last week, the markers had already finished marking the multiple choice papers.

Traditionally the Grade 7 examinations are written in early October with the results usually released at the beginning of December.

The early release of the results makes it easier for parents to start securing Form 1 places for their children in preparation for the first term in January. Last year Zimsec finished marking the examinations by 11 November, two weeks after the writing of the examinations while in 2010 the results were released on 2 December.