The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) board says there is a need for urgent interventions to improve the Ordinary Level pass rate, which remains below the 50 per cent benchmark.
ZIMSEC board chairperson, Professor Paul Mapfumo, announced the release of the 2024 Ordinary Level examination results on Friday, January 17, revealing a national pass rate of 33.19 per cent.
This marks an improvement from last year’s pass rate of 29.41 per cent, with progress noted across most categories.
In a press briefing in Harare yesterday, Mapfumo stressed that the current pass rate necessitates immediate action at all levels of the education system. He said:
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This year’s results show a marginal improvement in performance across most categories.
However, we must confront the reality that two-thirds of candidates are still failing to meet the benchmark of passing five or more subjects. This calls for urgent interventions at all levels of the education system.
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A record 291,341 candidates sat for the 2024 exams, marking a 7.85 per cent increase compared to 2023.
Among these, 199,258 candidates wrote five or more subjects, but only 66,130 achieved five or more passes at Grade C or better.
The results revealed notable improvements: school candidates posted a pass rate of 33.70 per cent, up from 30.19 per cent in 2023.
Private candidates also saw a rise in their pass rate, increasing from 21.85 per cent to 29.60 per cent.
In terms of gender performance, female candidates outperformed their male counterparts, achieving pass rates of 33.54 per cent and 32.65 per cent, respectively.
Candidates with special needs demonstrated remarkable progress, achieving a pass rate of 36.36 per cent, up from 25.79 per cent in 2023. Said Mapfumo:
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While we celebrate the incremental progress, these results are a stark reminder of the disparities in access to quality education, particularly in rural areas. We need to ensure that every child is given an equal opportunity to succeed.
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The ZIMSEC board in Zimbabwe wants to make the pass rate for Ordinary Level exams better because it is below 50%. The results for 2024 showed a national pass rate of 33.19%, which is better than last year. More students took the exams this year. Girls did better than boys, and students with special needs also improved. ZIMSEC says everyone should have a fair chance to do well in school. They want to make changes to help more kids pass their exams.

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