adminRay Bande Senior Reporter
A TOTAL of 38 schools in Manicaland that have less than 20 students doing A-Level will soon be instructed to stop Advanced Level classes or enrol more students to meet the minimum enrolment requirement, The Manica Post has learnt. Primary and Secondary Education require a minimum of 20 students for a school to run A-Level classes, but it has since emerged that 38 schools in Manicaland do not have the required minimum numbers, while some have as little as four pupils doing A-Level at a school.
In an interview on the final analysis of the 2015 A-Level results, Manicaland Provincial Education Director, Mr Edward Shumba, confirmed that his office would soon ask the 38 schools to relinquish Advanced Level classes or enrol more students to meet the minimum enrolment requirement.
“The problem is that some school want to have A-Level classes at their school without meeting the required standards. This is why we will come down hard on them and instruct them to stop advanced level classes or enrol more students to meet the minimum enrolment requirement. All the non-viable A-Level schools face closure,” said Mr Shumba.
According to the analysis of 2015 A-Level results, Manicaland recorded a three percent percentage pass-rate improvement from last year. In 2014 the province recorded an 86.36 percentage pass-rate compared to last year’s 89.56 percent.
Only one school recorded below 50 percent pass-rate.
“The highlights of the A-Level results are that only one school recorded below 50 percent pass-rate and I will not mention it for ethical reasons. “There was remarkable improvement from last year. In 2014, the province recorded an 86.36 percentage pass-rate compared to last year’s 89.56 percent.
“We had 129 students who attained 15 point plus and that represent 2.34 percent of our candidates. 448 candidates achieved 10 points plus and that represents 8.31 percent.
“In the Arts subjects, we had 599 students (11.1 percent) with 10 points plus, while 63 candidates (1.17 percent) achieved the same in Sciences. 448 candidates (8.31 percent) got 10 points plus in the commercials. It is also worth noting that 18 percent of our schools attained 100 percent pass-rates.
“I should hasten to say that these results are a clear indication of the hard work and dedication of teachers, pupils and parents. It is really commendable,” said Mr Shumba. The Manicaland Provincial Education Director confirmed that there was 100 percent pass-rate in subjects that include Dress and Textiles, French, Geometrical and Mechanical Designing, Textiles and Clothing and Food Science. Most subjects are in the 90 to 95 percent region.
Accounting was the least with a 56.26 pass-rate.
Online Reporter