By Munacho Gwamanda- The Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) has announced that Lower Six (Form 5) classes will commence on Monday, January 27, 2025, following the release of the 2024 Ordinary Level (O-Level) results last week.
Confirming the date, Primary and Secondary Education Secretary Moses Mhike urged schools to prepare accordingly.
“All schools are expected to commence Lower Six classes on the given date. Fees for Lower Six students will be pro-rata, calculated based on the approved Term One fees,” Mhike stated.
ZIMSEC released the 2024 O-Level results with a 33.19% pass rate, marking a slight improvement from 2023’s 30.19%.
However, the pass rate remains significantly below the 50% benchmark, raising alarms about the country’s declining educational outcomes.
ZIMSEC board chairperson, Professor Paul Mapfumo, highlighted the issue: “While this year’s results show incremental progress, the reality is that two-thirds of candidates failed to meet the benchmark. This calls for urgent interventions across the education system.”
A record 291,341 candidates sat for the exams, with 199,258 attempting five or more subjects. However, only 66,130 students achieved the five passes required at Grade C or better.
Other trends included:
- Private candidates’ pass rates rose from 21.85% in 2023 to 29.60% in 2024.
- Special needs candidates achieved a remarkable improvement, with their pass rate climbing from 25.79% to 36.36%.
- Female candidates outperformed their male peers, with pass rates of 33.54% and 32.65%, respectively.
Zimbabwe’s educational system, once hailed as a model for Africa, is facing growing challenges.
The Continuous Assessment Learning Activities (CALAs), a controversial component of the competency-based curriculum introduced in 2017, was recently phased out.
While CALAs aimed to evaluate practical and theoretical competencies, they faced criticism for poor implementation.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has pledged to refine the curriculum to better align with Zimbabwe’s reputation for high-quality education.
However, disparities in teaching resources, infrastructure, and teacher training—particularly in rural areas—continue tohinder progress.
Professor Mapfumo emphasized the importance of equitable education: “We need to ensure every child is given an equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background.”