Coltart speaks on poor pass rate

Former Primary and Secondary Education Minister David Coltart has said sanctions were in place during his tenure but educational outcomes improved, unlike the current Minister who blamed sanctions for poor pass rates.

PRIMARY and Secondary Education minister Cain Mathema yesterday blamed sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western countries and lack of staff supervision by headmasters for the poor pass rate recorded in the last public examinations.

Mathema said this in a ministerial statement which he issued in the National Assembly following a public outcry over poor Grade 7 results released early this month.

However, Coltart said on Twitter, "I suppose this was inevitable our poor pass rates are blamed on sanctions. Throughout my tenure sanctions were in place but educational outcomes improved."

Meanwhile, teachers' unions and civic groups recently accused the government of neglecting the education sector, hence the poor results.