Today marks the release of the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) Ordinary Level examination results. Professor Paul Mafumo, the Zimsec board chairperson, is set to announce the results at 2:30 PM at Zimsec headquarters in Harare.
A report by Chronicle indicates that the latest results come on the heels of the recently announced 2024 November Advanced Level examination results, which recorded a national pass rate of 94.58 percent—similar to the performance seen in 2023.
A total of 33,585 candidates sat for the Ordinary Level exams in 2024, reflecting a slight decrease from the 34,437 who wrote in 2023, resulting in a 2.47 percent reduction in candidature.
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Of the candidates, 33,246 took two or more subjects, with 31,443 achieving a Grade E or better, leading to a pass rate of 94.58 percent, mirroring last year’s results.
Gender disparities in performance are noteworthy; female candidates showed considerable improvement, achieving a pass rate of 95.94 percent for those who attempted two or more subjects—up from 92.32 percent in 2023.
In contrast, male candidates posted a pass rate of 93.13 percent, slightly lower than the previous year’s 93.95 percent, although their overall performance remained stable.
Special needs candidates also demonstrated significant progress this year, with 38 out of 40 passing and achieving a Grade E or better, resulting in a pass rate of 95 percent, a marked increase from 84.62 percent in 2023.
The examination season observed a total of 29,041 school candidates, slightly down from 29,910 the previous year. Among those taking two or more subjects, 27,509 achieved a Grade E or better, resulting in a pass rate of 95.18 percent, closely reflecting the previous year’s 95.19 percent.
Private candidates, numbering 4,544, experienced a slight uptick in the number of those taking two or more subjects, with 4,346 participating and 3,934 passing, leading to a pass rate of 90.52 percent—just below the 90.57 percent from the previous year.
Reflecting on the previous results, the Zimsec Grade 7 results released in November last year showed a higher pass rate of 49.01 percent, a significant rise from 45.57 percent in 2023. This improved performance can be attributed to enhanced teaching methods and better educational interventions initiated by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, benefiting both pupils and teaching quality.
Over the last five years, the pass rates in Zimsec Grade 7 examinations have consistently risen from 37.11 percent in 2020 to 49.01 percent in 2023, due largely to improvements in educational facilities and programs like the school feeding scheme that have positively impacted student performance.
