ZIMSEC GRADE 7 EXAMINATIONS GET UNDERWAY ACROSS ZIMBABWE

By Staff Reporter
HARARE —Zimbabwe’s 2026 Grade 7 examinations began on Tuesday, with more than 300 learners sitting for the Mathematics Paper 1 examination at David Livingstone Primary School in Harare.

The examinations, administered by the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC), mark the start of the final national assessment for primary school learners before they proceed to secondary education.

The 2026 examinations are being written against a backdrop of continued concerns over primary school performance, with the national Grade 7 pass rate remaining below 50 percent.

ZIMSEC recorded a **48.49 percent national pass rate in 2025**, down from **49.01 percent in 2024**.

A total of 389 626 candidates sat for all six subjects in the 2025 examination session, with 188 930 candidates passing all six.

Matabeleland North recorded the country’s lowest provincial pass rate at 15.9 percent, while 20 primary schools in the province recorded a zero percent pass rate.

In Matabeleland South, 11 primary schools in Insiza, Bulilima, Gwanda and Matobo districts also recorded zero percent pass rates.

Bulilima District has previously faced challenges linked to poor literacy levels among learners. Its Grade 7 pass rate stood at 34.43 percent in the previous assessment cycle, with education authorities identifying difficulties in basic reading skills as one of the factors affecting performance.

Authorities subsequently introduced interventions targeting Early Childhood Development teachers and literacy development in an effort to improve learning outcomes.

As the 2026 examinations get underway, thousands of Grade 7 learners across Zimbabwe are expected to sit for the various papers during the examination period.