Zimbabwe govt denies grade inflation

Zimbabwe's Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has moved to address widespread allegations of "grade inflation" following the release of record-breaking 2025 Advanced Level (A-Level) results, which saw a national pass rate of 95.75 percent.

Grade inflation refers to the practice of awarding higher academic grades for work that would have received lower marks in the past, without a corresponding improvement in academic effort or achievement. This is distinct from grade improvement, which occurs when better teaching, learning methods and student support lead to genuinely higher performance.

The debate was reignited by Mukudzei Zivei, a student from Pamushana High School, who scored an unprecedented 56 points after sitting for 12 A-Level subjects. While Zivei's achievement has been widely celebrated as exceptional, it has also sparked renewed scrutiny of the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) assessment system.

Several education experts and analysts argue that such unusually high point tallies are a symptom of grade inflation and risk undermining the credibility of the examination system. Critics contend that inflated grades make it increasingly difficult for top universities, both locally and internationally, to differentiate between outstanding candidates.

One of the most vocal critics of grade inflation, Professor Arthur Mutambara, has previously warned that unchecked inflation erodes academic standards and devalues qualifications over time.

In response to growing concerns over academic integrity and student welfare, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has introduced firm limits on the number of subjects candidates can sit. Under the new policy, A-Level students are restricted to a maximum of three principal subjects, while O-Level candidates may sit no more than nine subjects.

However, the ministry and ZIMSEC officials have strongly rejected claims of systemic grade inflation. They insist that the high 2025 pass rate reflects genuine improvements in teaching methodologies, learner preparedness and student commitment, rather than a lowering of examination standards.

Officials also clarified that Zimbabwe's A-Level points system is designed around a student's three best subjects, with an "A" grade earning five points, a "B" four points, a "C" three points, and so on, making 15 points the conventional maximum.

Zivei's 56 points, the ministry said, were accumulated by sitting an unusually high number of subjects, a practice it has now described as an "unnecessary excess" that does not align with the intended structure of the A-Level system.

As debate continues, authorities maintain that reforms are aimed at preserving academic credibility while ensuring that exceptional performance is recognised within a fair, standardised framework.