PRESS STATEMENT
The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has noted the release of the June 2026 ZIMSEC Ordinary Level examination results, which recorded a national pass rate of 3 percent.
While June examination results have traditionally been lower than November results because they are predominantly written by private candidates, candidates rewriting subjects and those who failed to write November exams due to unforeseen circumstances, the continued decline in recent years highlights the worsening challenges confronting Zimbabwe’s education system.
These results should not be viewed just as statistics but as a reflection of the broader crisis affecting public education.
ARTUZ has consistently warned that chronic underfunding of education, poor teacher remuneration, shortages of qualified teachers, inadequate learning resources, and the increasing reliance on private candidates without notable learning support continue to undermine educational outcomes.
ARTUZ is also concerned that the June examination session continues to receive limited policy attention despite serving thousands of candidates seeking their breakthrough and to some seeking their second chance.
Many of these learners are victims of the same education system that has failed them through exorbitant examination fees, economic hardship and barriers to accessing formal schooling. Rather than being treated as an afterthought, June candidates deserve targeted support, affordable examination fees, accessible learning opportunities and policy interventions that improve their chances of success.
The Union is equally concerned that Zimbabwe’s education system continues to place overwhelming emphasis on the attainment of five Ordinary Level passes as the primary measure of success. While academic excellence remains important, this rigid approach places an unnecessary burden on learners whose strengths lie beyond conventional academic subjects.
ARTUZ believes that every learner possesses unique talents that should be identified, nurtured and developed from an early stage.Education is a crucial and accessible public service that has the potential to reduce social and economic inequalities.
ARTUZ therefore calls for a radical policy shift that strengthens vocational education, technical training, talent identification and early specialisation. Learners should be equipped with practical and marketable skills beyond the traditional academic pathway, allowing every young person a fair opportunity to succeed regardless of their academic ability.
The response to these results should not be to blame learners or teachers. Instead, Government must urgently address the structural challenges affecting education by recruiting more teachers, improving salaries and working conditions, adequately funding public schools, reducing financial barriers to education, and ensuring that all learners have access to quality teaching and learning resources.
ARTUZ further calls upon ZIMSEC to continue providing transparent examination statistics and contextual information that promotes evidence-based discussion on the state of education in Zimbabwe. We also urge the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to develop a comprehensive support programme for June examination candidates so that the examination session becomes a genuine pathway for educational progression rather than a neglected second-chance opportunity.
Quality education cannot be achieved without investing in teachers and learners alike. The future of Zimbabwe depends on a well-supported, inclusive and adequately funded public education system.
Issued by:
📞 ARTUZ Information Department📧 ruraltrsunion@gmail.com📞 +263777473135 / +263776129336 / +263775643192
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