Chronicle Editor
Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
A TOTAL of 5 759 pupils from Bulawayo scored distinctions in Mathematics in last year’s Grade Seven public examinations which saw the province recording a 90,8 percent pass rate.
Only 81 pupils scored five units last year, an increase from 57 recorded from the 2017 examinations.
Bulawayo acting Provincial Education Director Mrs Olicah Kaira said the results were impressive as there was an improvement from last year’s 86, 8 percent pass rate.
“In 2018, we had a total candidature 13 685 sitting for five subjects for the Grade Seven examinations. That is Mathematics, English, Ndebele, Agriculture and General Paper. From the total candidature, 6 604 were males and 7 021 were females,” she said.
Mrs Kaira said although they were are not happy with the qualitative results, they had improved.
“We did improve, we did very well but our total number of candidates who scored five units or distinctions across the five subjects were just 81 out of 13 685 which is 0, 6 percent . So qualitatively we haven’t done well,” she said.
The PED said Mathematics had more pupils scoring distinctions than any other subject.
“English Language pupils that got a distinction or one unit are 762 translating to 5, 6 percent, Mathematics were 5 759 (42, 1 percent), Ndebele 1 192 (8, 8 percent), General Paper 2 914 pupils (21, 3 percent) and Agriculture 596 pupils (4, 4 percent),” said Mrs Kaira.
She said 160 pupils from ZRP Ross Camp and army-run school, Indlovu Iyanyathela – sat for the Shona examination with 27 scoring distinctions.
Mrs Kaira said 12 426 candidates were able to get five units to 30.
“It means that I’m talking of pupils who would have got a distinction in the five subjects. It means these pupils had one to six units per subject which converts to 90, 8 percent as a provincial pass rate basing on units.
So we did very well as Bulawayo because last year we had a 86, 9 percent pass rate. It’s an improvement from last year’s mark, it’s an upward trend. We didn’t fall by the way side. We improved by a certain percentage,” said Mrs Kaira.
She said Bulawayo province should record at least thousands of pupils who score five units as it is a Metropolitan province.
“We must have more of such pupils because we are a Metropolitan province despite that we have double sessioning where we have pupils coming to share classes because it turns out to be a disadvantage when it comes to outcome of results,” said Mrs Kaira.
She said the province has suitably qualified teachers across the board in primary schools.
“All our grade seven teachers are experienced, seasoned and professional. They are all qualified, we don’t have a single school in Bulawayo which is manned by a teacher who does not meet the grade to become a teacher, and they are all qualified.
“In any case Government now does not engage relief teachers or temporary teachers. We don’t have a situation where we don’t have teachers in classes except in circumstances where enrolment has increased and we are looking for those teachers as a Ministry,” said Mrs Kaira.
The PED said Bulawayo has not recorded a zero percent pass rate in a decade from the 125 schools that sit for Grade Seven examinations.
Bulawayo province has 135 primary schools.
“We are happy that we did not produce a zero pass rate in any of our schools and we have maintained that trend for the past 10 years. We were just doing an assessment of all schools that scored zero percent and at Grade 7 in Bulawayo we haven’t had a school registering zero percent which is a feather in our cap,” said Mrs Kaira.
She thanked the teachers, school heads, administrators, district officials and directors for their contribution to the success of the province.
“May I take this opportunity through you the media to appreciate the good that is being done by teachers in schools, not Grade 7 teachers alone because it takes the entire fraternity to produce these results.
“Bulawayo Metropolitan province appreciates the good work that the teachers are doing in schools together with what the administrators are also doing. Everyone else, district and provincial staff also offer a very good support system to schools through workshops and engagement through supervision, maybe that’s why we are producing these results,” Mrs Kaira said.
“What we are asking for is for teachers to maintain this kind of momentum, let’s not tire, let’s not go down because we have set ourselves a benchmark of not recording a zero percent pass rate”.
– @AuxiliaK
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