HARARE – Zimbabwean academic prodigy and global investment banker Maud Chifamba has weighed in on the ongoing debate about subject overload in the country’s education system, recommending that Advanced Level (A-Level) students focus on a maximum of three subjects.
Chifamba, who made history as Africa’s youngest university graduate at just 18 years old, says learners should prioritise depth of understanding rather than chasing extra subjects simply to accumulate points or prestige.
Her remarks come at a time when Zimbabwe’s education authorities have already signalled a policy shift designed to curb what critics have called an emerging culture of “point chasing.”
Sharing her perspective, Chifamba emphasised that career guidance remains one of the most important yet often overlooked aspects of Zimbabwe’s education system. She said:
“One thing we need to have a conversation about is, career guidance.
At Ordinary Level, it is super important that you pass English and Mathematics. The excellent university programs will not accept students without these. With ‘Rising Together’ I have had the sadness of experiencing kids from underprivileged backgrounds failed to get university placements, even with 15/18/20 points this year due to not having one of the two.”
Her observations come from direct experience working with disadvantaged learners through education initiatives that help talented students access university opportunities.
According to Chifamba, while taking more than three A-Level subjects can make a student appear impressive on paper, universities ultimately judge applicants based on their best three results. She explained:
“There are pros and cons to studying more than three subjects at A Level, with the main pro being cosmetics honestly.
You stand out in conversations like scholarships, and you get bragging rights, for sure.”
However, she cautioned that the academic advantage is often illusory. Chifamba added:
“The main con is, for university admission, the requirement will always be your best three subjects. If you get 2As and 2Bs at A Level, you are not as good as someone with 3As, because the default will be your best three.”
Her advice to students is therefore straightforward: unless a fourth subject significantly strengthens a scholarship application, learners are often better off concentrating on three subjects and investing their extra time elsewhere. She said:
“If you are not a person in need of a scholarship, and if it is not an absolute slam dunk, you are better off focusing on three subjects than investing in a fourth.
Instead, what I would do is three subjects, and with my extra time, invest in extracurricular activities that I can learn soft skills from, serve others and showcase my leadership abilities.”
Chifamba’s comments echo growing concerns within education circles that academic overload may undermine both learner wellbeing and meaningful mastery of subjects.
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The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has already indicated that it intends to enforce stricter limits under the Heritage-Based Curriculum, capping A-Level candidates at three principal subjects and Ordinary Level candidates at nine.
Officials argue that the policy aims to promote deeper learning, reduce student burnout and align secondary education with the entry requirements of universities both in Zimbabwe and internationally.
Most local universities require around 15 A-Level points for admission into degree programmes, meaning students rarely gain additional advantages from sitting excessive subjects.
For Chifamba, whose own journey from rural Gokwe to the global finance industry has become one of Zimbabwe’s most remarkable education stories, the lesson is simple: excellence comes from focus.
Born in Gokwe in 1997, Chifamba overcame profound hardship after losing both parents at a young age. Her extraordinary academic talent saw her skip grades in primary school before sitting her Ordinary Level examinations at just 11.
By 14 she had enrolled at the University of Zimbabwe to study Accounting, supported by a scholarship from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. Four years later, on 29 September 2016, she graduated with a Bachelor of Accounting Honours degree at the age of 18, becoming the youngest university graduate in Africa.
Today Chifamba is an investment banking associate at Goldman Sachs in New York and a Chartered Accountant, while continuing to mentor students and fund education initiatives in Zimbabwe.
Her message to learners navigating the pressures of A-Level subject choices is therefore rooted in both experience and perspective: focus on mastering fewer subjects, develop leadership skills beyond the classroom, and build a balanced path toward the future.
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