The Government has expressed concern over the performance
of some schools in national exams, amid indications that over 250 Primary and
Secondary schools – mostly satellite schools – across the country recorded zero
pass rates in the 2018 examinations.
Primary and Secondary Education Permanent Secretary Mrs
Tumisang Thabela said the Office of President and Cabinet and the Public
Service Commission were worried about the zero pass rate and were putting in
place measures to address the situation.
Mrs Thabela was officially opening the National Association
of Primary School (NAPH) and National Association of Secondary School Heads
(NASH) inaugural joint track and field events competitions at Midlands
Christian College in Gweru last week.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the OPC
and PSC are concerned about low standards in infrastructure and general
teaching and learning levels in satellite schools which seem to precipitate
zero percent pass rates,” she said.
“At Grade 7, 68 Primary schools recorded zero percent pass
rate in 2018 while at “O” level, 194 schools had zero percent pass rate.”
Mrs Thabela said stakeholders raised concerns over what was
seemingly a low pass rate, adding that reasons for such a pass rate could be
attributed to the absence of the continuous assessment component.
“This brings me to
the “O” and “A” level academic results for 2018,” she said. “You will notice
that this was the first examination for our competence-based curriculum. “O”
level pass rate was 32,6 percent, while “A” level was 84,7 percent. Pass rate
at grade 7 was 53,42 percent.”
Mrs Thabela said appropriate feedback was required
immediately and all efforts in supervision and monitoring should target the
schools.
“My ministry and
Zimsec are working tirelessly to have the continuous assessment framework in
place as soon as possible,” she said.
Mrs Thabela said her ministry was encouraging every school
to resuscitate school feeding programmes in the wake of the pending drought to
reduce drop-outs.
“School feeding generally had been suspended because of the
cholera outbreak,” she said. “With the advent of the effects of the prevailing
drought in most areas in the country and the unfortunate effects of Cyclone
Idai, the Ministry is encouraging every school to resuscitate school feeding.
“Modalities can be worked out at school, cluster and
district levels so that we maintain the enrolments as well as reducing
dropouts.”
Mrs Thabela said the NAPH and NASH track and field events
competitions were in line with the thrust of the competence based curriculum
currently being implemented which have physical education, sport and mass
displays as standalone learning areas. Herald
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