3% O' Level pass rate sparks outcry

Zimbabwe's education sector has been thrown into debate after the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) recorded a national pass rate of just 3% in the June 2026 Ordinary Level examinations, with teachers' unions warning that the results expose persistent weaknesses in the country's education system.

The June pass rate fell sharply from 5,8% recorded in June 2025 and remains well below the double-digit rates recorded before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Teachers' unions and education experts, however, differ with the government over what the figures mean, with unions linking the poor performance to underfunding, teacher shortages, low remuneration and weak regulation of private education institutions.

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) said the results should be viewed as an indicator of wider problems confronting public education.

ARTUZ leader Obert Masaraure said the figures were more than examination statistics.

"These results should not be viewed merely as statistics but as a reflection of the broader crisis affecting public education," Masaraure said.

He attributed the poor performance to inadequate funding, shortages of qualified teachers, poor remuneration and limited access to learning materials.

Masaraure also urged the government to increase investment in vocational and technical education while introducing targeted support programmes for learners sitting for the June examinations.

The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZTA) secretary-general Goodwill Taderera said the results raised questions about the implementation of the new curriculum and the regulation of private learning institutions.

He said the growth of private schools and public-private partnerships had occurred without adequate supervision.

"We have also seen a proliferation of public-private partnerships and wholly private schools that remain inadequately regulated. As a matter of policy, this sector has not been properly supervised," Taderera said.

He called for stronger regulatory, monitoring and supervisory mechanisms across both public and private schools.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe was equally critical, arguing that the results exposed shortcomings in the private education sector.

"This is an indictment on the private education system, which is largely unregulated and is, therefore, not offering value for money to candidates," he said.

Majongwe said government should increase investment in public education, arguing that even though the June examinations cater largely for repeat candidates and those seeking to improve individual subjects, a 3% pass rate warranted scrutiny.

Education expert Rumbidzai Mashamba also called for an investigation into the results and questioned whether candidates should be permitted to register for the June examination session without demonstrating adequate preparation.

"A 3% pass rate calls for an inquiry into what is happening and whether candidates should be allowed to register for the June examinations without proof that they have adequately prepared," she said.

The Primary and Secondary Education ministry, however, has rejected attempts to use the June results as evidence of a deepening crisis in Zimbabwe's education system.

Ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro described such claims as a "deliberate misrepresentation of the facts to suit a predetermined agenda", arguing that the June examination cohort is fundamentally different from candidates who sit for the November examinations.

Ndoro pointed to comments by Zimsec board chairperson Professor Paul Mapfumo when releasing the results, saying the June examination session is primarily intended for candidates seeking to improve grades in individual subjects rather than obtain full Ordinary Level certification.

Of the 37 065 candidates registered for the June examinations, only 291 candidates — 0,78% of the total candidature — sat for five or more subjects, according to the ministry.

The government therefore argues that the 3% pass rate should not be interpreted as a measure of the performance of the country's entire secondary school system.

Ndoro said the majority of candidates were repeaters seeking to improve individual subject grades.

He also rejected claims that inadequate resources were responsible for the results, describing them as "unsubstantiated and politically motivated."

The ministry said government had continued investing in education infrastructure, learning materials and teacher development programmes.

Ndoro further pointed out that 802 school candidates sat for the June examinations alongside 36 263 private candidates, arguing that the figures demonstrated the accessibility of the examination system.

The contrasting positions have placed the June results at the centre of a wider debate over how examination statistics should be interpreted and whether the performance of a predominantly private and repeat-candidate cohort can legitimately be used to assess the state of Zimbabwe's education system.

While teachers' unions are calling for deeper structural reforms and greater investment, the government maintains that the June examination statistics must be understood within the specific purpose and composition of the examination session.