Zimbabwe students shine in Cambridge exams

Zimbabwean students who sat the internationally acclaimed Cambridge Examinations recorded a very high pass rate in 2023, Advanced Level results released this week have shown, with parents excited about the wave of success.

Many schools acrosss all provinces recorded over five learners with the maximum 15 points per three subjects, once again demonstrating that Zimbabwean learners are up there against the best in the world.

The newly founded Junior High School in Masvingo Province recorded a 100 percent pass rate and was among the best performing.

Private colleges have a higher number of learners who take the Cambridge exams while girls have been outperforming boys in recent years.

More girls have also ventured into science subjects which were once perceived as male dominated and are also performing very well.

Four girls from Hilbright Science College in Harare shattered the myth that the sciences are a male-dominated field, scoring straight As in mathematics, biology and chemistry.

The historymakers, all medical school aspirants, scored A-plus grades and include Shalom Chaipa (18), Shanna Mupamombe (17) and Ruvarashe Makoni (17).

As for Shalom Chaipa (18), who scored 15 points in her three science subjects, her dream of becoming a doctor is becoming a reality.

"I really wasn't expecting this because this year's exams were very difficult. My families, teachers, and friends supported me, but these results are still shocking to me," she said.

Shanna, who did the same combination, credits her success to God.

"I am quite confident in the Lord. My work ethic has always been to work and pray. The greatest part of life is not the knowledge but the action that you take to make a difference.

"My advice is to take in the wisdom that you learn from your classmates and put it into action," she  said.

Ruvarashe said the secret behind her success was hard work.

"You need to learn to be organised. There is a lot that goes into studying and you need to have fixed time schedules."

Melusi Mtetwa (18), the only boy who was among the brilliant students that scored 15 points in science subjects, said the journey was full of ups and downs.

"It was not an easy task, but I would describe it as a bittersweet experience. The stresses of teenagehood and, of course, peer pressure, but I am glad that in the end I managed to conquer," he said.

Naishe Princess Mutasa (18) distinguished herself in Business , Economics and Accounting.

"When I felt like giving up, I focused on God.  Whenever I work hard, I will not be doing it for my family or friends, but I am doing it for the glory of the Lord."

Arundel High School's multi-award winning student, Jade Wadyajena also scooped 15 points in her arts subjects — History, Literature in English and English Language.

Principal for Hilbright Science College Lilian Muchechetere said: "It is a great pleasure, we are so excited about our 2023 November results.

"We attained a 97 percent pass rate. I will say the key to success for our learners is diligence but we will not forget the contributions of our key stakeholders."

"My advice is whoever wants to perform well , work hard. Do your best in your capacity and God will do the rest."

Results from the 2023 ‘A' level Cambridge final examinations gleaned by The Herald  show that the best student at Junior High wrote 5 subjects and attained 24 points after scoring straight ‘A's in Maths,Chemistry,Biology and Computer Science and then a grade B in Physics.

A 16-year-old, Tashinga Angel Muzanenhamo, who made headlines two years ago by scoring nine A's in the Cambridge 2021 O-Level exams made it again this time with five A's at A-Level.

She scored five A's in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English Language, with A+ in Biology and English Language.