The Sunday Mail
Debra Matabvu Sunday Mail Reporter
The top 100 Advanced Level learning institutions in Zimbabwe have scored between 93 and 100 percent pass rates in the 2014 examinations, signalling a 3 percent increase compared to 2013.According to statistics released by the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council, the number of schools that attained a 100 percent pass rate remained at 20 with Manicaland province’s Saint Faith’s dislodging Nyanga High School at the top, while the latter landed on second position.
The figures show that the 2014 overall pass rate increased to 82,6 percent from 81,5 percent in 2013.
Other schools that attained a 100 percent pass rate include St Anthony’s, Sandringham, St Ignatius College, Hebron, Shungu, Zaka, Chinorumba, St David’s Bonda, Roosevelt, Chatikobo, Mutare Girls’, Tugwane, Tongwe, Mutimwi, Zezani and Anderson.
Overally, Masvingo surpassed all provinces with seven schools with a 100 percent pass rate, followed by Manicaland with four schools.
Zimsec says the total number of candidates who sat for the November 2014 examination was 30 614, with 25 291 obtaining a grade E or better in two or more subjects, which is the minimum pass standard.
The number of private candidates was 7 324 of whom 4 217 obtained grade E or better in two or more subjects.
Zimsec director Mr Esau Nhandara said the performance of female students was better than that of male students, though the number who wrote two or more subjects was less than that of males.
He also said there was excellent performance by candidates in most subjects except for Geography, which had a pass rate of just 36 percent.
“This failure rate in Geography could be that a number of candidates who may not have done Geography at O-level or could have achieved a low pass rate at O-level went on to attempt Geography at A-level,” he said.
“Generally, the performance of November 2014 candidates was commendable in most subjects. ‘Reasons for this performance may vary from subject to subject and may only be substantiated by empirical research to confirm the trend in the pass rates,” he added.
Mr Nhandara attributed the 2013 and 2014 pass rates to the stable learning conditions students enjoyed for the two years they were preparing for examinations.
