Bulawayo city council run primary schools produced a 64% pass rate in the 2025 Grade Seven Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) results with only three out of 30 schools recording pass rates below 50%.
The city’s top-performing schools were Mahatshula Primary School with an 88% pass rate, J W Mthimkhulu Primary School with 84%, and Malindela Primary School with 81% in 2025.
Only Dumezweni Primary School, Aisleby Primary School and St Peters Primary School produced results below a 50% pass rate.
Dumezweni Primary School recorded a 46% pass rate, Aisleby Primary School recorded 26 percent, while St Peters Primary School recorded a 13% pass rate.
According latest minutes, the directorof housing and community services, Dictor Khumalo, reported that the Grade Seven results were satisfactory despite a marginal drop from the 2024 results.
“A total of 5 559 learners sat for the 2025 Grade Seven final examinations (Zimsec), and 3 576 learners passed the six subjects with symbol 5 or better,” the report read.
“The pass rate was 64,33% based on six subjects passed as per the City of Bulawayo standards, a decrease of 0.32% from 64,65% in 2024. Generally, City of Bulawayo schools performed quite well in 2025.
“Good results were noted as 36 learners scored six units for the total of the six subjects.”
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He stated that the City was, however, concerned about schools that were perennially producing results below 50%.
Khumalo reported that several strategies have been identified to address the issue of low pass rates.
“The Section encourages these schools to formulate strategies to address such low performance at school level, such as setting targets to be met at all times for an upward trend to be realised in all subjects and encouraging team teaching in examination classes.”
He added that schools are encouraged to strengthen reading at all levels, from pre-reading at ECD to Grade Seven, where learners transition from “learning to read” to a “read to learn” orientation.
Khumalo reported that part of the strategies include the introduction of e-learning platforms to capacitate both learners and teachers in new learning areas and subjects, while promoting the adoption and strengthening of library reading programmes.
Furthermore, schools will be encouraged to strengthen both in-class and school remedial programmes, as well as continuous staff development workshops for teachers at school level on new learning areas being examined at Grade Seven.
Khumalo also reported that schools will be encouraged to use the Internet and information communication technologies for individual learner studies, while implementing vacation schools to curb the conduct of extra lessons at homes.
—Masiyephambili
