The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council yesterday released the November 2025 Advanced Level examination results, with a national pass rate of 95,75 percent, slightly up from 94,58 percent in 2024.
The council said the results reflected both a rise in the number of candidates and improvements in performance across both school and private candidates.
Addressing journalists in Harare, ZIMSEC board chairperson, Professor Paul Mapfumo, said a total of 36 635 candidates sat for the examinations, compared to 33 585 in 2024, representing a 9,08 percent increase.
Of these, 36 282 candidates wrote two or more subjects, with 34 740 achieving Grade E or better, the minimum requirement to pass two or more subjects.
“The increase in the national pass rate demonstrates the commitment of candidates, teachers and school administrators to academic excellence despite ongoing challenges in the education sector,” Prof Mapfumo said.
He said coordinated efforts between schools, exam markers, ZIMSEC staff, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, and state security agencies contributed to the smooth administration of the examinations.
School candidates continued to perform strongly with 31 451 students sitting for the examinations.
Of these, 31 296 wrote two or more subjects, and 30 169 achieved Grade E or better, translating to a pass rate of 96.39 percent, up from 95.18 percent in 2024.
This represents an improvement of 1.21 percentage points, signalling consistent performance among Zimbabwe’s school-going candidates.
Private candidates also recorded marginal gains.
Of the 5 234 private candidates who sat for the examinations, 5 036 wrote two or more subjects, with 4 571 passing, giving a pass rate of 90,77 percent, slightly higher than the 90,52 percent recorded in 2024.
Prof Mapfumo said the results were achieved through careful planning, adherence to examination protocols and collaboration across the education sector. “The successful administration of the November 2025 A-Level examinations was achieved through a common purpose, ensuring the integrity and credibility of the results,” he said.
The results started to be accessed online from 4 pm yesterday on the ZIMSEC portal at https://results.zimsec.co.zw.
The portal will remain open for five days, after which candidates are advised to collect their results from their respective examination centres.
Heads of centres have been required to collect results from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Provincial Directors starting Monday.
ZIMSEC expressed appreciation to all stakeholders involved in the examination process, including teachers, markers, school administrators, ministry officials and security agencies for their dedication and professionalism.
The release of the results comes as Zimbabwe’s education sector continues to recover from disruptions caused by economic challenges and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The stable pass rates indicated resilience among learners and educators, reflecting an ability to maintain academic standards even in a challenging environment.
While the national pass rate is encouraging, gaps remain in subject-specific performance, particularly in sciences and technical subjects.
Stakeholders continue to call for increased investment in learning resources, teacher training and infrastructure to further improve educational outcomes.
Prof Mapfumo urged candidates to build on their success.
“We congratulate all students who passed and encourage those who did not to continue working hard. The A-Level results are a stepping stone to further education and professional development,” he said.
The results mark a critical milestone for students preparing to transition to tertiary education or vocational training, with universities, colleges and professional institutions expected to start admissions and placement processes in the coming weeks. – Herald