Matabeleland South recorded 22% O'Level pass rate increase

Matabeleland South Province recorded a 22 percent pass rate increase in last year's Zimsec Ordinary Level examination owing to a host of measures authorities introduced in the province, a senior Government official has said.

Speaking during the Beitbridge District Education Merit awards at Swereki last week, provincial education director Mrs Tumisang Thabela said they had set their target at 19 percent adding that hard work had seen them surpassing the target. She said even though Zimbabwe's pass rate stood at 18 percent, the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture was committed to producing better examination results this year.

Mrs Thabela commended the teachers and other stakeholders around the province for their commitment and support towards the provision of quality education in the country.

She said they had managed to reduce the child to textbooks ratio with a wider margin and that they had provided most of the necessary books to schools around the province.

"It should, however, be realised that it is not coming fast enough, therefore people should do with what is available. As parents and other stakeholders you are also expected to endeavour to provide basic infrastructure for your children so as to enable them to race with others," she said.

Mrs Thabela called on parents to pay up agreed levies at schools so as to ensure the education sector remained viable.