What grade is Form 1, 2, 3 and 4?
Primary school became one year shorter at the same time as secondary school switched from Grades to Forms. So learners now in secondary school, who finished the old Grade 7, are one year ahead of the learners who will finish the new Grade 6.
| Form | If you finished the old Grade 7 (everyone entering Form 1 from 2025 to 2029) | If you finish the new Grade 6 (entering Form 1 from 2029 onward) |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1 | The year that used to be Grade 8 | 7th year of school (where Grade 7 used to be) |
| Form 2 | The year that used to be Grade 9, with no Grade 9 exam | 8th year of school |
| Form 3 | The year that used to be Grade 10 | 9th year of school |
| Form 4 | 11th year of school. Ends with the School Certificate exam, the exam Grade 12 writes under the old curriculum | 10th year of school. Ends with the School Certificate exam |
| Form 5–6 | Advanced Level (A-level), now offered in five pathways, not only the sciences. Entry needs a School Certificate with three credits or better in the area you want to study. | |
The year counts start from Grade 1 and assume no repeated years. The 2029 Form 1 class includes both groups: the Ministry has said two groups of primary school leavers will enter Form 1 that year.
Old system vs new system
Cabinet approved the new framework on 4 June 2024. The Ministry of Education describes the change as moving from a 4-7-5-4 system to a 3-6-6-3 system: years of early childhood education, primary, secondary and a university degree.
| Old (2013 curriculum) | New (2023 curriculum) | |
|---|---|---|
| Early childhood | 4 years | 3 years |
| Grade 1 entry age | 7 | 6 |
| Primary | Grades 1–7, exam at Grade 7 | Grades 1–6, exam at Grade 6 |
| Secondary | 5 years: Grades 8–9 (junior), Grades 10–12 (senior) | 6 years: Form 1–4 (Ordinary Level), Form 5–6 (Advanced Level) |
| Secondary exams | Grade 9 exam, Grade 12 School Certificate | School Certificate at the end of Form 4, then A-level |
| University degree | 4 years | 3 years |
Automatic progression has also ended. Learners need to pass the primary leaving exam to go on to Form 1.
When the change happens
The Ministry of Education has announced this timetable:
- Jun 2024Cabinet approves the 2023 Zambia Education Curriculum Framework.
- Nov 2024The framework is launched.
- 10 Feb 2025Classes start on the new curriculum for early childhood Level 1, Grade 1 and Form 1. The first Form 1 learners are those who passed the 2024 Grade 7 exam.
- 2025The last Grade 9 exam (Junior Secondary School Leaving Examination).
- 2026Form 1 learners of 2025 move to Form 2 with no exam. Grade 4 starts the new curriculum. A-level begins at Form 5.
- 2028The last exams on the old curriculum. The last Grade 7 learners and the first Grade 6 learners write the primary leaving exam in the same year. The last Grade 12 learners and the first Form 4 learners write the School Certificate exam together.
- 2029Two groups of primary school leavers enter Form 1.
Which system am I in?
- In Grade 10, 11 or 12 in 2026: you stay on the old curriculum and write the Grade 12 School Certificate exam, by 2028 at the latest.
- In Form 1 or Form 2 in 2026: you are on the new curriculum. You write the School Certificate exam at the end of Form 4: 2028 if you are in Form 2 in 2026, 2029 if you are in Form 1.
- Did not pass the 2025 Grade 9 exam: the Minister advised starting again in Form 1 in 2026, which leads to the School Certificate at the end of Form 4 in 2029.
- In Grade 4 in 2026: you are on the new curriculum and write the primary leaving exam in Grade 6, in 2028.
- In Grade 5, 6 or 7 in 2026: you finish primary on the old curriculum and write the Grade 7 exam, by 2028 at the latest.
Form 1 to Form 4 subjects
Learners at Ordinary Level take six or seven subjects, and the same subject names run through all four years. Every pathway includes these compulsory subjects:
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Civic Education
- Computer Studies (not examined; learners taking Computer Science do not need it)
Learners then follow one of eight pathways, each with its own core subjects:
- Natural Sciences: three of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Agricultural Science
- Agriculture: Agricultural Science
- Technology: Computer Science or Design and Technology
- Home Economics and Hospitality: Fashion and Fabrics, Food and Nutrition, Hospitality Management, Travel and Tourism
- Social Sciences: Literature in English, Geography, History, Religious Education
- Business and Finance: Principles of Accounts and Commerce
- Performing and Creative Arts: Music, Art and Design
- Physical Education and Sport
At A-level (Form 5–6) there are five pathways: STEM, Social Sciences and Languages, Business Studies, Physical Education and Sports, and Creative and Performing Arts. Learners take three or four subjects.
Subject lists come from the curriculum framework (validation edition) and the Ministry's 2026 guidelines for secondary schools. Not every school offers every pathway.
Not confirmed yet
- The pass rules for the new Form 4 School Certificate, and how school-based assessment counts towards it. In January 2026 the Examinations Council of Zambia said its new exam systems were still going through approval.
- Details of the first A-level exams.
- Whether universities will ask for A-levels. The Ministry's guidelines say tertiary education follows Form 4, or Form 5 and 6.
We will update this page when ECZ or the Ministry publishes these.
Questions people ask
What is Form 2 in school?
Form 2 is the second year of Ordinary Level secondary school under the new curriculum. It has no national exam.
What grade is Form 2?
For learners who finished the old Grade 7, Form 2 is the year that used to be Grade 9. For learners who finish the new Grade 6, it is their 8th year of school.
What grade is Form 4?
Form 4 ends with the School Certificate exam, the exam Grade 12 writes under the old curriculum. The first Form 4 learners write it in 2028, together with the last Grade 12 learners.
Is there still a Grade 7 exam?
Yes, until 2028, when the last Grade 7 learners write it alongside the first Grade 6 learners.
Is there a Form 2 exam?
No. The Grade 9 exam ended in 2025, and learners move from Form 1 to Form 2 without a national exam.
Notes for every Form and Grade
New curriculum
Old curriculum
Sources
Checked 26 October 2026.
- Ministry of Education, Cabinet approves restructuring of the education system (June 2024)
- Ministry of Education, PS Joel Kamoko on the 2023 curriculum (12 June 2024)
- Ministry of Education, Guidelines for Managing Secondary Schools in Zambia (2026, PDF)
- 2023 Zambia Education Curriculum Framework, validation edition (PDF, sections 4.2–4.3)
- Ministry of Education statement on implementing the curriculum (December 2024), as published by Zambian Observer
- Minister of Education on the 2024 Grade 7 and 9 results, as published by Zambian Observer
- RCV, 2025 to mark final Junior Secondary examinations (July 2025)
- ZANIS, 2025 Grade 12 exam results (January 2026)