The pass rate for Ordinary Level Mathematics has been going down over the past four years except in 2021 when it went up slightly.
Zimbabwe School Examination Council (ZIMSEC) spokesperson Nicholette Dhlamini told the <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/form-four-maths-not-adding-up/">Chronicle</a> that from 2019 to 2022, the Maths pass rate has been below 20 percent.
On 03 February 2023, ZIMSEC released the November 2022 results showing that only 28 percent of candidates obtained five Ordinary Level passes or better in all the subjects. Said Dhlamini:
<blockquote>
For the past four years, the pass rate for mathematics, excluding that for private candidates, has remained at slightly below 20 percent.
In 2019; 19,23 percent of public candidates passed O-level Mathematics and the figure went down to 18,21 in 2020 and slightly up to 18,71 percent in 2021. In 2022; 18,03 candidates passed Mathematics.
</blockquote>
Failing to pass Mathematics has reduced the chances of many young people enrolling at tertiary institutions.
The founder of Girls in STEM Trust Victoria Nxumalo said people should first understand the application of Mathematics to everyday life rather than making it a theoretical model that has no connection to what humans do. She said:
<blockquote>
People use Maths every day, in their homes, consciously or unconsciously. It’s practical, particularly in the early grades.
These grades are crucial in that they are the foundation of Maths. If the foundation is not laid out properly, the learner will struggle with the subsequent build-up to higher levels of Maths.
Prior knowledge is crucial and teachers have neglected that learners come with this knowledge, through the traditional games that they play at home.
Concepts such as the value of digits can be learned from Ara Wuru (the learner counts the number of boxes); Gwini is the basis of sets, which consequently leads to multiplication.
Sharing, division, and fractions are exemplified in the use of snotty apples (uxakuxaku).
Time, money, and change are done on a daily basis at home where the learner transacts in these concepts.
Patterns that kids draw at home are the basics of the principles of coding.
</blockquote>
Joel Munetsi who has been a Mathematics teacher ever since he was in Form Four in 2004 said some people have a bad attitude towards the subject. He said:
<blockquote>
There are myths that need to be dealt with before anyone attempts Mathematics because this subject is very crucial in helping us face challenges in life, I mean our lives are closely linked to Mathematics.
I often advise my clients to take it easy as some panic to the extent of failing to answer all questions within the allocated time.
I have also taught Mathematics at more than 10 schools as a teacher and have noted that it’s all about attitude. Once that changes anyone can easily pass Mathematics at whatever level.
I am currently privately tutoring Mathematics with international students and the rule remains, with constant practice, Mathematics is so basic and can be easily applicable to our everyday life.
</blockquote>

Pindula News

O' Level Mathematics Pass Rate Falls... Educators Say A Change Of Attitude Is Necessary

Dr Desire Sibanda, the chairperson of the Higher Education Examination Council (Hexco) has issued a directive to polytechnics notifying them that Ordinary Level Mathematics will no longer be required for 30 courses. This follows <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/govt-removes-maths-english-requirements-colleges-universities-says-use-discretion/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Minister of Higher Education Amon Murwira’s decision to cancel Mathematics and English as prerequisites for students to enter tertiary education</a>.
The 30 courses are as follows:
<ul>
<li>Human Resources Management</li>
<li>Marketing Management</li>
<li>Secretarial Studies</li>
<li>Health Information Science</li>
<li>Library and Information Science</li>
<li>Micro-Enterprise Management</li>
<li>Theology and Pastoral Ministry</li>
<li>Pension Management</li>
<li>Payroll Management</li>
<li>Purchasing and Supply Management</li>
<li>Health Services Management</li>
<li>Applied Art and Design</li>
<li>Hairdressing</li>
<li>Beauty Therapy</li>
<li>Fashion Design</li>
<li>Industrial Clothing</li>
<li>Design and Construction</li>
<li>Leather and Allied Manufacturing Technology</li>
<li>Music</li>
<li>Professional Cookery</li>
<li>Food and Beverage Management</li>
<li>Bakery Studies</li>
<li>Tourism and Hospitality</li>
<li>Fine Arts</li>
<li>Design for Multi-Media</li>
<li>Dance</li>
<li>Office Management</li>
<li>Photography</li>
</ul>
More: <a href="http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/hexco-scraps-math-for-30-courses/">Sunday Mail</a>

Full List of 30 Courses Offered By Tertiary Institutions Which No Longer Require O Level Mathematics

The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) said that pupils who brought an exam paper believed to be a copy of the Ordinary Level November 2017 Mathematics examination paper brought a fake paper. 
Speaking to The Chronicle, Zimsec public relations officer Ms Nicky Dlamini dismissed the rumours that the original examination paper had leaked. Said Dlamini:
<blockquote>It serves them right. It is these fools who think they are smart and want to cheat the system. The bogus business-people are targeting those people that want the shorter route to success. We actually have a copy of this so called leaked Mathematics paper. It is a fake. It is unfortunate that this raises fear and alarm among diligent and honest candidates, however, they should not worry because the original Zimsec papers are all safe and secure. We just started rolling out Grade Seven examination papers, we haven’t yet started on O’ Level. People must not be fooled. People should just work hard and take pride in earned success. A certificate that has been bought doesn’t help in any way because one would not even have the skills that a fake certificate confers on them.</blockquote>
The paper is said to be going for $200 and $300.
More: <a href="http://www.herald.co.zw/o-level-maths-paper-leak-a-hoax/">Herald</a>

Zimsec responds to reports that O Level Maths 2017 exam paper has leaked

Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Professor Paul Mavima said that Government is not satisfied with the way mathematics is being taught and said that they are looking for ways to improve it.
Mavima also said that Zimbabwe was doing well according to the assessment done by the Southern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) which tests Grade Six pupils against a common standard from 16 countries after every 5 years. Said Mavima:
<blockquote>We are doing well, as a country we compare very well with other countries. But there are areas where we want to improve. We don’t think we are doing as much as we should for example about 40 percent of our Grade six cohort of 2013 didn’t do as well as we would have wanted. More so, in Mathematics than in reading and other things we need to look at how we are teaching Mathematics and improve on it.</blockquote>
More: <a href="http://www.chronicle.co.zw/govt-unhappy-with-maths-teaching-method/">Chronicle</a>

Govt not satisfied with Maths teaching method

A Harare man, Tofara Dube, has launched a website that provides mathematics tutorials in local languages. Dube has started with Shona but intends to introduce other languages as well.
Said Dube:
<blockquote>It is against this background that I decided to introduce my website — www.idadi.co.zw — to make people understand that it is actually possible to learn mathematics in vernacular. My aim is to have all the African languages in vernacular and I have started with Shona. I realised that all these African countries have a problem in numbers, because in some languages they simply end at the figure 1 000 and cannot go beyond that using their local languages.</blockquote>
Dube’s launch comes at a time when Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora announced that children in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres must be taught all subjects in local languages.
More: <a href="https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2017/05/22/man-launches-maths-in-shona-website">Daily News</a>

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