By Jabulani Khumalo
Zimbabwe has recorded an increase in the 2021 Advanced level pass rate by close to 4 percent despite learning disruption occasioned by COVID-19.
Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council Board Chairperson Professor Eddy Mwenje said the country posted 84.7 percent pass rate against 81 percent pass rate recorded in 2020.
Professor Mwenje however announced that a 2,3 percent decrease in candidate entries was recorded where 49 128 students sat for the November 2021 examinations compared to 50 287 in November 2020.
The examinations body also revealed that public schools had recorded a higher pass rate in comparison to private schools.
Professor Mwenje also indicated that girls who sat for last year’s examinations had out-shined boys.
“The total number of female school candidates who sat for two or more subjects in November 2021 Advanced Level examinations was 20 262. Of this number, 18 043 passed two or more subjects yielding an 89,4 percent pass rate. This translates to 3,24 percentage points, up from 85,8 percent for 2020,” added Professor Mwenje.
The total number of male candidates who sat for two or more subjects was slightly above 20 300 of whom over 17 200 passed two or more subjects. This points to a 4.7 percentage points increase to 84,72 percent in 2021 from the 2020 figure of 80,31 percent.
Since March 2020, when the first Coronavirus case was reported in the country leading to elongated lockdowns, the country’s schools’ calendar has been disrupted compounded by teacher strikes.
This affected thousands of students, who in some cases did not have adequate lessons in preparation for their examinations.
