Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
WHILE Manicaland has continued producing the best O-Level results in the country, at least 30 schools in the province recorded a zero percent pass rate in the 2023 national examinations — with a coterie of factors like lack of resources, ineffective teaching methods, socio-economic factors and individual challenges being cited as major drivers for the failure.
O-Level is a significant stage in a learner’s academic life as it often determines the direction that a learner takes.
This has put to the fore the need for educators, policy makers and communities to work together to cure the cancer and create an inclusive and supportive learning environment that allows all students to thrive.
Manicaland Provincial Education Director, Mr Edward Shumba said although the provincial passrate will be released in a fortnight when all the schools would have concluded their analyses, a number of schools in rural areas recorded no passes.
Mr Shumba said in Makoni, about 13 schools — Chigora, Chitungwiza, Chiwome, Gowàkowa, Gwangwadza, Gwidza, Kadzunge, Mahere, Nyadzonya, Nyamazira, Nyamuronda, Tafadzwa and Tsindi Secondary School had zero percent passrate.
In Mutasa District, Ngarure, Marara and Mt Jenya Secondary recorded no passes.
Five schools in Mutare District — Gwese, Zvavanhu, Gonon’ono, Bemhiwa and Mt Tsatse Secondary Schools had no single candidate who passed at O-Level.
In Buhera, three schools, Changamire Secondary, a satellite of Betera High; Chimbudzi Secondary, a satellite of Chiurwi High and Ndongwe, a satellite of Madzivire High recorded zero percent passrate, while Nyadi Secondary and Chirozva High Schools recorded a passrate of 2.08 percent and 2.27 percent, respectively.
Chimanimani District had two schools — Gudyanga and Mukombiwani with zero percent.
In Chipinge District, two schools — Muumbe and Mahenye Secondary Schools had no passes.
Mr Shumba said the bottom five performing schools in Nyanga District include Samatinha and Bende Secondary Schools which had zero percent pass rate, followed by Munga River Adventist Secondary (4.8 percent), Fombe Secondary (6.3 percent) and Ruwangwe Secondary (6.38 percent).
“Education is one of the main foundations for the child’s development and also for national human resource development, and our main thrust and vision as a ministry is zero tolerance to the zero percent pass rate.
“The ministry exists to provide quality, relevant and wholesome education so that all our learners excel, and no school should record a zero percent pass rate.
“The educators and communities around these schools must not fight or point accusing fingers, but rather come together to address these challenges and create an inclusive and supportive learning environment that allows their learners to excel.
“They need to agree on a viable fees structure and start paying so that resources can be availed for effective teaching and learning for standards to go up,” he said.
Mr Shumba said learners usually experience difficulties due to issues that can be academic or non-academic, adding that this warrants different strategic interventions.
He said those who failed in last year’s exams can still be absorbed in the non-formal education system.
Government has directed all schools to introduce non-formal education as a way of promoting access to education by learners who wish to pursue studies through the second chance model.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has set 2030 as its target to attain the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), which considers equity, quality, gender and life-long learning dispensation of education.
The opening of so many formal and non-formal education centres resulted in raising the literacy rate to 92.4 percent and it positioned Zimbabwe as number one in Africa, that is according to UNESCO.
The move ensures equal access to education and eradicates illiteracy.
Zimbabwe Rural Teachers Union chairman, Mr Martin Chaburumunda said several factors contribute to learners struggling in the school system, and these include inadequate resources and funding for schools, large class sizes, lack of individualised attention for learners, outdated teaching methods, limited access to support services for learners with special needs, and socio-economic disparities that can affect access to educational opportunities.
Mr Chaburumunda added that issues such as bullying, mental health challenges, and lack of engagement with the curriculum can also impact on learners’ success.
