BCC raises concern over poor Grade 7 results

Gibson Mhaka

THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has raised concern over the poor 2022 Grade Seven Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) results and attributed the worst performance to resource constraints and absence of proper infrastructure at schools.

In a report tabled in the latest council minutes Ward 24 Councillor Arnold Batirai said education was the key to success hence the local authority should invest in schools in order to meet the needs of the pupils.

 “Councillor A. Batirai raised concern about poor 2022 Grade 7 Zimsec Examination results. He felt that the Council should invest in schools. Education was the key to success.

“In response (Ward 10) Councillor S. (Sinikiwe) Mutanda explained that the council was investing a lot in its schools. Plans had been placed to improve public examinations pass rate,” reads the report.

According to the examination body, there was a slight decrease in the pass rate compared to last year.

The pass rate for 2022 is 40.09 percent compared to last year’s 41.38 percent and female candidates outperformed their male counterparts.

Meanwhile, the Mayor, Cllr Solomon Mguni appreciated the donation of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) equipment by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Portraz) to two council-run schools Queen Elizabeth II Primary and St Peters Primary.

The two schools received 20 and 21 computers respectively.

The Mayor said the donation would go a long way in improving ICT in schools.