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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
MATABELELAND South Province recorded a 56,9 percent pass rate in last year’s Grade Seven examinations compared to 49,3 percent recorded the previous year.

Matabeleland South Acting Provincial Education Director, Mr Lifias Masukume said 17 349 learners sat for their examinations and 9 871 passed all the five subjects.

“The province last year recorded 56,9 percent pass rate by unit compared to 49,3 percent in 2017. Last year 17 349 learners sat for the Grade Seven national examinations and 9 871 learners passed five subjects. There was an improvement in the results which can be attributed to a number of strategies that we put in place during the course of the year,” he said.

Mr Masukume said the province implemented a bridging gap programme between high achieving and low achieving schools in two districts.

“Under this programme we had teachers and headmasters from schools that did well sharing ideas and strategies with their counterparts from schools that performed badly. This programme was implemented in Beitbridge and Insiza districts and it yielded positive results as the schools that had performed poorly improved,” he said.

Mr Masukume said this year they want all schools to participate in the bridging programme.

He said holiday enrichment camps had also helped improve the pass rate and this year the camps will be held in April.

Mr Masukume said only two schools in the province recorded a zero percent pass rate out of 512 primary schools.

The same number was recorded in 2017 but the schools are different.

Mr Masukume attributed the poor performances to a number of challenges such as long distances to schools and shortage of teachers especially in remote areas.

He said the province recorded an improvement in all subjects except in Kalanga.

“All subjects posted positive variance showing a great improvement except in Kalanga. In English we recorded 53, 34 percent from 50, 93 percent, in Mathematics we recorded 56, 56 percent from 49, 42 percent while in General Paper we recorded 51, 81 percent from 49, 74. In Agriculture we recorded 60, 11 from 42, 31, in Ndebele we recorded 80 percent from 77, 45 percent while Kalanga dropped to 73, 17 from 75, 47. In Shona we recorded 82, 38 percent from 71,16 percent, in Venda we recorded 77, 42 from 73, 58 percent while in Xishangani we recorded 83, 33 percent from 60 percent. This year we are working on having learners write Sotho,” he said.

Mr Masukume said long distances to schools remained one of the causes of pupils dropping out of school upon completing their Grade Seven.

He said two schools were set to be constructed in Beitbridge in order to address this challenge.

— @DubeMatutu