Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Zimpapers Reporter
FOR Seven years running, the Grade Seven results have failed to surpass the 50 percent mark, with the 2025 results, released yesterday, having a national pass rate of 48.49 percent, a 0,52 percent decrease from the 2024 figure of 49.01 percent.
The last group of candidates to attain above 50 percent pass rate was in 2018, who managed a 52,08 percent, a figure that dropped to 46,9 percent the following year.
There was a further drop in 2020, with candidates scoring a 37,11 percent pass rate, although this was largely attributed to the devastating effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2021, the pass rate improved by three percent to 41,1 percent before dropping again the following year to 40,09 percent the following year in 2022. A national pass rate of 45,57 was recorded in 2023.
Announcing the release of the 2025 results, Zimsec board chairperson, Professor Paul Mapfumo, said the national pass rate of 48,49 percent from the 395 429 candidates marks a slight decline from the 2024 percentage pass rate of 49,01 percent.
He said examination results will be available online for four days from yesterday and candidates’ results will be accessible to all candidates and authorised personnel through the Zimsec portal.
To access results, candidates should enter their centre number, after which, they will be redirected to the portal where they can access their results.
“Please take note that the portal will be open for four days; thereafter, candidates should access their results from their respective Examination Centres,” said Prof Mapfumo.
Heads of Examination Centres are advised to collect their results from their respective Zimsec Regional Offices from Monday, 11 December 2025.
“A total of 395 090 candidates sat for one to six subjects during the 2025 Grade 7 examinations as compared to 387 429 candidates who sat for the same examination in 2024, showing a 1,94 percentage increase in candidature.
“Overall, the candidature increased across most subjects, except for slight declines in Kalanga and Nambya,” said Prof Mapfumo.
He said 389 626 candidates sat for six subjects and of these, 188 930 passed all six subjects.
“All subjects recorded pass rates of above 50 percent in 2025, with Shona and Ndebele recording above 83,09 and 83,31 percent, respectively,” said the board chairperson.
Prof Mapfumo said Physical Education and Arts recorded 78,59 percent, Social Science (63,81 percent), Mathematics (58,04 percent), Agriculture Science and Technology (57,93 percent), English (56,29 percent), while other indigenous languages were between 65,08 and 77,06 percent respectively.
He said out of the 395 090 candidates who sat for the 2025 examination, 201 842 were female. Of these, 199 930 sat for six subjects, with 107 241 passing six subjects with a Grade 6 or better, translating to a percentage pass rate of 53,64.
193 248 male candidates sat for the 2025 Grade 7 examination, of which 189 696 wrote six subjects, with 81 698 passing six subjects with Grade 6 or better. This translates to a percentage pass rate of 43,06 for male candidates.
“A total of 391 special needs candidates sat for between one and six subjects in 2025, compared to 329 in the previous year, representing a 15,85 percentage increase in candidature. Of these, 230 candidates attempted six subjects, with 101 passing, resulting in a pass rate of 43,91 percent and this shows an increase of 6,72 percent when compared to the 37,19 percent pass rate in 2024,” said Prof Mapfumo.
