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Maxwell Tapatapa-Herald Reporter

Advanced-Level pass rate for the November 2020 Zimsec examinations remained high despite a slight decrease from 2019 attributed to the effects of Covid-19 that partially made learning difficult.

Zimsec board chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje announced the release of the 2020 A-Level results at Zimsec’s offices in Mt Pleasant, Harare yesterday.

“The total number of candidates who sat for the November 2020 examination was 50 287 compared to 51 862 in 2019. This entry decreased by 3 percent. The number of candidates who wrote two or more subjects in the November 2020 examination was 49 153 and out of this number 39 802 obtained grade E or better in two or more subjects, translating to an 81 percent pass rate.

“In November 2019, however, 50 774 wrote two or more subjects and 42 169 obtained grade E or better in two or more subjects, translating to a pass rate of 83.1 percent. This shows a national percentage decrease of 2.1 percent in the 2020 pass rate,” said Prof Mwenje.

“It is important for Zimsec to acknowledge that the 2020 candidates wrote the examinations under the unprecedented conditions that were induced by the Covid-19 pandemic yet their performance, although lower than that of 2019, is indeed commendable.”

He applauded the private candidates whose pass rate increased from the previous year. Private candidates write outside the school system.

“In November 2020 the total number of private candidates was 8 056, on this number 7 462 wrote two or more subjects and 5 205 obtained a grade E or better in two or more subjects which translates to a percentage pass rate of 69,8.”

“While in November 2019 the total number of private candidates was 9 319 out of this number 8 617 wrote two or more subjects and 5 654 obtained grade E or better in two or more subjects which also translate to a percentage pass rate of 65,6 percent. It is important to note that the performance of November 2020 private candidates was better than that of the same code of 2019 by 4,2 percent while that of school candidates went down by 3,6 percent,” said Prof Mwenje.

Results can be collected by heads of examination centres from today but are posted on the Zimsec portal from today allowing candidates to see them earlier.

“Heads of examination centres will be able to collect the results for the respective school centre from Zimsec regional offices starting Friday 23 April 2021. The results will also be accessible online to the candidates who set for the examination as well as to authorised personnel through the Zimsec portal available on www.zimsec.co.zw