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Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent

THE November 2023 Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) Ordinary Level results were released yesterday with the Government warning that schools withholding results from candidates with school fees arrears will face punitive action.

The results are available online and they are accessible to all candidates and authorised personnel online through the Zimsec portal accessed through their website: www.zimsec.co.zw.

Candidates are advised to click on their respective region where they will be redirected to the portal on which they can access their results for the next five days.

Heads of examination centres can collect the results for their respective schools or centres from Zimsec’s regional offices beginning yesterday.

Permanent Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education Mr Moses Mhike said schools withholding the results from students over non-payment of school fees risked a raft of disciplinary measures as it was illegal.

“The policy from the ministry is very clear and we have always been saying that when it comes to examinations, the contract is between Zimsec and the candidate and there is no way the school comes in, in terms of withholding the results,” he said.

“As a ministry, we will not tire and we will continue to outline the policy. I am also happy to say that we have been getting a lot of feedback from people who have been telling us names of the schools and we have gone in there to carry out our own investigations and we have taken appropriate action.

“Even during the tours that we have been doing with the minister, we emphasised that action will be taken against non-compliant schools. We will not fold our hands and we will not tire and I would urge you to continue to supply us with the information and we will take appropriate action guided by our Statutory Instrument as guided by the Public Service Commission.”

Zimsec board chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje said a total of 270 129 candidates sat the November 2023 examinations compared to 278 760 candidates, who sat the same examinations in 2022.

Prof Mwenje said the candidature decreased by 8 631 or 3,1 percent.

“In 2023, a total of 185 021 pupils wrote five or more subjects and 54 420 passed five or more subjects with a Grade C or better giving an overall percentage pass rate of 29,41,” he said.

“The November 2023 results show that the percentage pass rate for female candidates was at 30,1 while that of males was at 29,06.

“These percentage pass rates increased by 5,03 and 3,9 respectively in favour of the girl child.”

Prof Mwenje said the statistics showed that the 2023 overall pass rate increased by 4.35 percent from that of 2022.”

He said school candidates who wrote five or more subjects in 2023 were 163 533 and 49 373 obtained Grade C or better in five or more subjects, yielding a 30,19 percentage pass rate compared to that of 2022 where 162 813 wrote five or more subjects with 49 501 obtaining a Grade C or better in five or more subjects resulting in a percentage pass rate of 30,40.

“This shows that the 2023 pass rate for school candidates decreased by 0.21 percent,” Prof Mwenje said.

“Private candidates who wrote 5 or more subjects were 23 095, and 5 047 obtained Grade C or better in 5 or more subjects, which translates to a pass rate of 21.85 percent as compared to that of 2022, where 20 771 wrote 5 or more subjects with 3 668 obtaining a Grade C or better in 5 or more subjects resulting in a pass rate of 17.66 percent. This shows an increase of 4.19 percent in the 2023 pass rate for private candidates.

“The total number of female candidates who sat the 2023 Ordinary Level Examinations was 141 698 and of these, 96 963 wrote five or more subjects with 29 094 passing five or more subjects, thus translating to a percentage pass rate of 30,01.

“The total number of female candidates who sat for the 2022 Ordinary Level Examinations was 146 106 and, of these, 97 565 wrote five or more subjects with 24 371 passing 5 or more subjects, thus translating to a percentage pass rate of 24,98 showing an increase of 5,03 percent in the 2023 pass rate for female candidates.”

Prof Mwenje said the total number of male candidates who wrote exams was 128 431 and of the total, 88 088 wrote five or more subjects and 25 596 passed five or more subjects translating to a percentage pass rate of 29,06.

He said 132 653 male candidates sat for the 2022 Ordinary level examinations and of the total, 86 018 wrote 5 or more subjects and 21 645 passed five or more subjects translating to a percentage pass rate of 25,16.

The pass rate for male candidates in 2023 thereby increased by 3,9 percent.

“A total of 253 special needs candidates sat for a range of subjects from 1 to 13 in 2023. Of these 159 wrote 5 or more subjects and 41 passed five or more subjects yielding an overall percentage pass rate of 25,79.

“A total of 265 special needs candidates sat for a range of subjects from 1 to 12 in 2022. Of these 151 wrote five or more subjects and 27 passed 5 or more subjects yielding an overall pass rate of 17.88 percent and the 2023 pass rate for special needs candidates increased by 7,91 percent.”