RELEASE OF ZIMSEC 2021 NOVEMBER ORDINARY LEVEL EXAMINATION RESULTS
Introduction

The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Board and Management would like to advise the nation of the release of the 2021 November Ordinary Level examination results which were written between 1 December 2021 and 31 January 2022.

Heads of Examination Centres will be able to collect the results for their respective schools/centres from our Regional Offices on Wednesday, 13 April 2022.

The Ordinary Level Examination results will be accessible online to all Candidates and authorised personnel with effect from today the 12th of April 2022 beginning at 16:00 hrs.

The results can be accessed online through the ZIMSEC portal. As usual, our Website address is www.zimsec.co.zw.

Candidates are advised to click on their respective region where they will be redirected to the portal on which they can access their results. Please take note that this portal will be open for 5 days only.

Allow me from the onset to express on behalf of the Board our profound appreciation to all major stakeholders of the examination process for a timely delivery.

The examination process ended on 31 January and after 2 months and a few days, the results are here.

ZIMSEC wishes to acknowledge the commitment of our examiners, the support given by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, the Ministry of Health and Child Care and our parent Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and indeed our ZIMSEC Staff.

We are therefore excited that we are releasing the results earlier than was the case for the 2020 results which were released on 3 May 2021.

We are also grateful to God that as we continue to see an improvement in the COVID-19 pandemic situation, it may point to the fact that we may soon return to normalcy.

Entry and Pass rates
A total of 249 914 candidates sat for the November 2021 examinations as compared to 264 099 candidates who sat for the same examinations in 2020.

There was a decrease in candidature of 14 185, thus translating to a percentage decrease of 5.37%.

In 2021, a total of 163 179 candidates wrote 5 or more subjects and 42 985 passed 5 or more subjects with a grade C or better giving an overall percentage pass rate of 26.34%.

As compared to 2020, where a total of 184 249 candidates wrote 5 or more subjects and 45 644 passed 5 or more subjects with a grade of C or better giving an overall percentage pass rate of 24.77%.

The statistics show that the 2021 pass rate increased by 1.57% from 2020. However, this pass rate is still lower than that of 2019, a year that had a normal school calendar. The pass rate in 2019 was 31.6%.

ZIMSEC attributes the improvement in the pass rate to the longer school calendar and also the learning strategies that were introduced by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

The performance of candidates was analysed in the following categories: School candidates; Private candidates; Female candidates; Male candidates; and Special Needs candidates.

School Candidates
School candidates who wrote five or more subjects were 148 005 and 40 473 obtained Grade C or better in 5 or more subjects, yielding a 27.35% pass rate.

As compared to 2020, where candidates who wrote five or more subjects were 168 272 and 43 244 obtained Grade C or better in 5 or more subjects, yielding a 25.7% pass rate.

This shows that the 2021 pass rate for school candidates increased by 1.65%.

Private candidates
Private candidates who wrote 5 or more subjects were 15 174 and 2 512 obtained Grade C or better in 5 or more subjects, which also translates to a pass rate of 16.55%.

As compared to 2020, where Private candidates who wrote 5 or more subjects were 15 977 and 2 403 obtained Grade C or better in 5 or more subjects, translating to a percentage pass rate of 15.04.

This shows a 1.51% increase in the 2021 pass rate for private candidates.

Female candidates
The total number of female candidates who sat for the 2021 Ordinary Level Examinations was 130 996 and, of these, 86 046 wrote 5 or more subjects with 21 852 passing 5 or more subjects, thus translating to a percentage pass rate of 25.40.

In 2020, however, the total number of female candidates was 136 847 and, out of this number, 95 314 wrote 5 or more subjects with 22 581 passing 5 or more subjects, thus translating to a percentage pass rate of 23.69.

The pass rate for 2021 female candidates increased by 1.71%

Male candidates
The total number of male candidates who sat for the 2021 Ordinary level examinations was 118 918 and of these 77 133 wrote 5 or more subjects and 20 971 passed 5 or more subjects translating to a percentage pass rate of 27.19.

In 2020, the total number of male candidates who sat for the Ordinary Level examinations was 127 152 and of these 88 935 wrote 5 or more subjects and 23 580 passed 5 or more subjects translating to a percentage pass rate of 26.51.

The pass rate for male candidates in 2021 increased by 0.68%.

Special Needs candidates
A total of 276 special needs candidates sat for the 2021 O Level examinations. Of these 157 wrote 5 or more subjects and 36 passed 5 or more subjects yielding an overall percentage pass rate of 22.93%.

In 2020, a total of 321 special needs candidates sat for the examinations, of these 223 wrote 5 or more subjects and 48 passed 5 or more subjects yielding an overall percentage pass rate of 21.52.

The 2021 pass rate for special needs candidates increased by 1.41%.

Conclusion
We would like to extend our gratitude to all those who were involved in the November 2021 Ordinary Level examination processes with a special mention to the school administrators, teachers, markers and ZIMSEC staff for their hard work and dedication in making the examinations a success.

ZIMSEC hereby takes this opportunity to wish all the candidates the best in their future studies and endeavours.

I thank you.

Professor E. Mwenje
CHAIRPERSON: ZIMBABWE SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL BOARD