The Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) is pleased that the Minister of Education Honourable Douglas Syakalima MP released the 2023 Grade 7 and Grade 9 Examination Results on 26th December, 2023. ZANEC commends the Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) and other stakeholders in the Ministry of Education that no leakages were recorded in the Grade 7 and Grade 9 Examinations. We also appreciate the Government for repealing the ECZ Act No. 15 of 1983 as amended in 1994 and replacing it with the ECZ Act No. 3 of 2023, which has provided for highly stringent measures against examination malpractices. The new Act is already bearing fruit given the reduction in the examination malpractice at Grade 9 from 989 cases in 2022 to 54 cases in 2023.
On the actual results released, it is commendable that there was an increase in 2023 in the total of candidates that registered for both Grade 7 and Grade 9 examinations compared to 2022. The increase in the number of candidates sitting for examinations can be attributed to the declaration of free education. We are also pleased that the automatic progression to Grade 8 has been abolished as the trend had compromised the quality of education at secondary school. It is important to note that only learners who demonstrate appropriate competencies must be allowed to progress to Grade 8. Therefore, the policy provision to have only Grade 7 candidates with divisions 1 to 3 proceed to Grade 8 is very progressive.
Furthermore, we are pleased that the abolition of the automatic progression policy will leave 80,093 free spaces at primary school level which were previously utilized by Grade 8 learners. This increased space at the primary school level will provide space for those candidates who have not obtained a primary school certificate to repeat in 2024.
However, ZANEC is saddened with: –
1.The sudden change in the subjects that were considered for passing Grade 7 examinations in 2023 has brought about unnecessary speculations in the candidates mainly due to limited access to information. The Ministry of Education needed to share information on the non-release of Paper 1 and Paper 2 results in advance with stakeholders at school and district levels to avoid speculations.
2.The absenteeism rate at Grade 7 of 9.60% representing 48,274 candidates is huge and worrying especially since it represents a huge jump from 1.21% in 2022.
3.The low pass rate of 53.6% at Grade 9 level is very low, while the 30.28% of the Grade 7 candidates who obtained Division Four is also very high.
To this effect, ZANEC is recommending the following measures to address the above challenges: –
1.The Ministry, through ECZ must ensure that they widely communicate the new developments surrounding the treatment of Paper 1 and Paper 2 to the public.
2.There is need to increase investment in improving the learning outcomes at both primary and secondary levels to reduce the failure rate.
Finally, we urge our parents and guardians to prepare adequately for the children to return to school by 19th January 2024.
For/ZANEC
George Hamusunga
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
