Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe School Examinations Council has released the results of last November’s A-Level examinations with a national pass rate of 94.58 percent, nearly identical to the 2023 performance.
Addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Zimsec board chairperson Professor Paul Mapfumo said he was satisfied with the consistency in the national pass rate, recognising the collective effort of all involved.
“We are pleased with the stability of our results, which reflect the dedication of our students, teachers and other stakeholders,” he said.
A total of 33 585 candidates sat for the examinations in 2024, slightly fewer than the 34 437 who wrote in 2023, showing a 2.47 percent decrease in candidature.
Of these, 33 246 candidates wrote two or more subjects. Out of this group, 31 443 achieved a Grade E or better leading to a pass rate of 94.58 percent which mirrors last year’s results.
Gender differences were notable in the results. Female candidates saw a remarkable improvement, recording a pass rate of 95.94 percent for those who sat for two or more subjects.
This was a marked increase from the 92.32 percent pass rate in 2023.
“We are thrilled to see our female candidates excelling and continuing to outperform their male counterparts,” said Prof Mapfumo.
In comparison, male candidates posted a pass rate of 93.13 percent which was slightly lower than the previous year’s rate of 93.95 percent.
However, the overall performance of male candidates remained stable.
“While the performance of male candidates remains steady, there is always room for improvement,” Prof Mapfumo added.
Special needs candidates also made significant progress this year and out of the 40 special needs candidates who sat for the exams, 38 passed with a Grade E or better, resulting in a pass rate of 95 percent.
This marked a substantial improvement from 2023, when 29 out of 34 candidates passed, yielding a pass rate of 84.62 percent.
“The success of our special needs candidates reflects the ongoing efforts to make education more inclusive and accessible,” said Prof Mapfumo.
The 2024 examination season saw a total of 29,041 school candidates, a slight decrease from 29 910 in 2023.
Of the 28 900 who wrote two or more subjects, 27 509 achieved a Grade E or better, leading to a pass rate of 95.18 percent.
This closely mirrored the previous year’s performance, which had a pass rate of 95.19 percent.
Private candidates, who numbered 4 544 in 2024, saw a slight increase in the number of candidates writing two or more subjects compared to the previous year.
A total of 4 346 private candidates sat for two or more subjects, with 3 934 passing, resulting in a pass rate of 90.52 percent. In 2023, the pass rate for private candidates stood at 90.57 percent.
Candidates were able to access their results online via the ZIMSEC portal with effect from 4 pm yesterday, with the portal open for five days only.
Heads of examination centres will be able to collect the results for their schools from provincial offices on Monday, January 13.
Prof Mapfumo also extended gratitude to all involved in the administration of the exams.
“We would like to thank the school administrators, teachers, markers, and other stakeholders for their dedication. The successful completion of these exams is a direct result of the collective effort to maintain the integrity of the system,” he said.
The 2024 A-Level results reflect not only the continued strength of Zimbabwe’s education system but also the resilience and dedication of its students, teachers and education stakeholders.
