Sithembinkosi L Jiyane
Sports Reporter
Zimbabwe’s public education system is under renewed scrutiny following criticism from the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), which has accused the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) of lacking transparency in the administration of public examinations.
In an end-of-year reflection, ARTUZ Deputy Secretary Cde Munyaradzi Masiyiwa, in his statement warned that secrecy surrounding grading, moderation, and standardization processes is steadily eroding confidence in the national education system, at a time when teacher welfare continues to decline and learner morale remains low.
The union said that despite two curriculum changes since 2017, examination outcomes have shown little improvement. ARTUZ argues that ZIMSEC’s approach to grading appears designed to preserve a stable national pass rate rather than accurately reflect learner performance, creating a misleading picture of progress while masking deep inequalities across schools, regions, and socio-economic settings.
“An examination system cannot be credible when the public does not understand how grades are determined. Secrecy in grading and moderation only fuels suspicion and mistrust,” said Masiyiwa.
ARTUZ compared ZIMSEC with South Africa’s quality assurance body, Umalusi, which publicly outlines its principles and procedures for standardization.
In contrast, ZIMSEC does not disclose its grading criteria or moderation processes, a situation the union says raises serious concerns about fairness, accountability, and integrity in national examinations.
Although national examinations are administered twice a year, ARTUZ says there is little evidence of systematic evaluation to determine whether the system remains relevant or effective.
Official figures indicate that the average O-Level pass rate over the past nine years stands at approximately 29.9 percent, a statistic the union argues conceals inconsistencies in grading standards over time.
ZIMSEC statistics for November O-Level examinations show fluctuating pass rates, with 28.7 percent in 2017, 32.83 percent in 2018, 31.6 percent in 2019, 24.8 percent in 2020, 26.34 percent in 2021, 28.96 percent in 2022, and 29.41 percent in 2023. ARTUZ maintains that these national averages hide stark disparities between provinces, districts, school types, and rural–urban communities.
“A single national pass rate hides the struggles of rural and marginalized learners. Without disaggregated data, inequality remains invisible,” Masiyiwa said.
To restore credibility in the examination system, ARTUZ has proposed reforms that include publishing district- and provincial-level pass rates, separating public and private school results, and clearly highlighting rural–urban disparities.
The union is also calling on ZIMSEC to publish its grading criteria and fully disclose its standardization and moderation processes.
Beyond examination reforms, ARTUZ stressed that sustainable improvement in education cannot occur without addressing teacher welfare. The union called for competitive remuneration, improved working conditions, and meaningful collective bargaining, arguing that teacher dignity is central to learner success.
“You cannot fix examinations without fixing the conditions under which teachers work. Teacher dignity and learner outcomes are inseparable,” he said.
Cde Masiyiwa further criticized education policymakers for neglecting public schools while enrolling their own children in private institutions that follow Western-oriented examination boards such as Cambridge.
He said this trend has fueled the rapid growth of private schools, many of which are owned by politically connected individuals, while public education continues to deteriorate.
ARTUZ concluded that while Zimbabwe’s education crisis is complex, it is not beyond repair. The union urged government, educators, parents, and civil society to engage in open dialogue and push for meaningful reforms, insisting that education for all must translate into equitable access to quality education for every learner.
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