Over 70,000 pupils make it to grade 10

Over 70,400 pupils who wrote the grade nine examinations last year have been selected to grade 10, out of a total number of 189,599 candidates who sat for the examinations last year.

This was out of total number of 218,736 candidates who entered for the examination in 2007, compared to the 195,243 in 2006 representing an increase of 7.57 per cent of the number of puils that entered for the examinations.

Minister of Education, Geoffrey Lungwangwa announced the results in a ministerial statement in parliament today, saying this year’s results indicate a progression rate of 37.15 per cent as compared to 37.9 percent in 2006.

Professor Lungwangwa explained that out of the 70,442 pupils that have been selected, 37,108 are boys, while 33,334 are girls.

He said out of the actual number of 189,599 pupils who wrote the examinations, 102,534 were boys while 87,065 were girls.

Out of the 189,599 who sat for the examinations, 96,024, of which 57,037 were boys and 38,986 were girls, obtained full certificates.

He told the House that another notable feature of this year’s results is that all the female candidates who obtained full grade 9 certificates in Northern, North western and Western provinces were selected into grade 10,” he said.

Professor Lungwangwa said Luapula province had the highest pass percentage at 58.48 per cent, indicating 62.59 per cent boys and 52.03 per cent girls.

The minister also told parliament that 129 pupils with special education needs were selected to grade ten from the 2007 grade nine examinations out of the 167 candidates who sat for examination.

This gives a 77.2 per cent passing percentage.

He said the number of candidates that had entered for the examinations but were absent during examinations has increased to 29,116 in 2007 from 18,980 in 2006. This indicates an increase in absenteeism from 9.72 per cent in 2006 to 13.32 per cent in 2007.

“Of these, 13,961 were boys while 15,155 were girls. Northern Province had the lowest rate of absenteeism at 9.22 per cent. Eastern province had the highest absenteeism rate at 15.54 per cent followed by Copperbelt province at 14.39 per cent,” he said.

He attributed this development to economic reasons deaths of parents and guardians where by children had to relocate to different places.

Early marriages, pregnancies, deaths and loss of interest in schooling are other reasons cited for absenteeism.

Professor Lungwangwa said to reduce the absenteeism from examinations, his ministry has started offering bursaries for vulnerable pupils and introduced a school feeding programme to children in some schools.

“In addition, the ministry has intensified the sensitization campaign against girls’ absenteeism through the programme called “Go Girls, secure the Future” and through counseling by guidance teachers,” he said.

The minister further told parliament that only 24 candidates were involved in examination malpractices such as leakages, during the 2007 examinations.

He said the number had reduced due to stringent measures his ministry had introduced to curb examination malpractices.

Professor Lungwangwa said the selected grade 10 pupils were expected to report in their respective schools on February 18th, up to March 3, this year.

“Pupils who fail to report at their respective schools by the end of the grace period will lose their places,” he said.

Meanwhile, Professor Lungwangwa announced that the first ever Technical Girls’ High School has been constructed in Ndola and would open in May this year with 150 grade 10 girls.