NINETEEN of the Midlands Province’s 70 secondary schools recorded a zero percent pass rate in November’s O’ Level examinations, officials said on Wednesday.
The overall percentage pass rate in the province was 20 percent, up from a low of 18 percent in 2009, said Lemon Shumba, the Midlands’ deputy provincial education director.
A student is considered to have passed O' Level if they obtain C grade or better in at least five subjects.
The pass rate was, however, more impressive for A’ Level with 80,77 percent of students passing. A pass at A’ Level means a student got at least two E grades (2 points) or better.
A little known rural school in Mberengwa stunned officials after recording a 100 percent pass rate in A’ Level.
But education officials remain concerned by the low O’ Level pass rate, even as classroom and teaching conditions improved under Zimbabwe’s unity government which took office in February 2009.
The highest concentration of schools with a zero percent pass rate was in Kwekwe, Mberengwa, Gokwe North and Gokwe South districts.
“Most schools performed badly and that’s a concern, even though there was a slight improvement from 2009,” Shumba said.
Shungu High School in Kwekwe topped the O’ Level pass rate in the province with 88,8 percent, followed by Chikwingwizha Secondary in Shurugwi with 87,8 percent, St Patricks Secondary in Chiwundura which recorded 83 percent and Regina Mundi in Gweru with 75, 58 percent.
Pakame High in Shurugwi was not far behind with 75,5 percent of its students passing, trailed by Camelot Secondary in Kwekwe with 67 percent, Gold Ridge School in Kwekwe with 66 percent, Hama High in Chirumanzu with 62,5 percent, Lower Gweru Adventist in Gweru with 59,5 percent and Guinea Fowl High in Gweru with 56,48 percent.
The miracle story of the A’ Level results was Mavorovondo High School in rural Mberengwa district which defied odds with all students getting a pass in at least two of three subjects.
Close behind was Chizhou High School in Chirumanzu with 98 percent, St Patricks in Chiwundura with 97, 33 percent, Chizungu High School (Mberengwa) with 96,3 percent and Regina Mundi High School (Gweru) completed the top five with 95,51 percent.
Mnene High School (Mberengwa) slotted in at number six with a 95,2 percent pass rate trailed by Maboleni High School (Lower Gweru) with 94, 73, Thornhill High School (Gweru) with 94,67, Kana Mission (Gokwe South) with 94,4 percent and Hama High School (Chirumanzu) with 94 percent.
Results for other provinces were not immediately available.