The Ministry of Education has resolved to intensify efforts to improve the Grade Seven pass rate in Kasempa District of North-Western Province from 55 percent to 60 percent following a comprehensive 2025 learner performance review meeting.
North-Western Province Principal Education Standards Officer (PESO), Patrick Kaonga, has emphasised the need for urgent and smart action to strengthen primary education, which he described as the foundation for individual, social and economic development.
Mr Kaonga said this during an examination review meeting with primary school head teachers held in Kasempa.
“We are determined to uphold this honour by supporting learner performance improvement, numeracy and social-emotional skills development,” he said.
Mr Kaonga also acknowledged the challenges that schools faced in the district, including limited teaching and learning materials, and inadequate classroom space among others.
“First, let us acknowledge the challenges, among them limited resources and sometimes lack of community support. But we also have dedicated teachers, supportive parents and motivated learners. Let us build on that,” he added.
Mr Kaonga noted that despite the recruitment of over 30,000 primary school teachers between 2022 and 2025 and significant investments in infrastructure under the Free Education Policy, increased enrolment had placed additional pressure on existing facilities.
He said there is a need to address shortages of classrooms and teaching materials to effectively support the new curriculum and improve learning outcomes.
Mr Kaonga further highlighted data-driven teaching approaches as a key strategy, where teachers analyse past examination results to identify weak areas, and targeted support programmes for struggling learners.
He commended the collaboration between the District Education Board Secretary’s office and head teachers which had resulted in malpractice-free examinations.
District Education Board Secretary, Kazadi Bombwe, thanked head teachers and teachers for attending the review meeting and urged them to work towards improved results in 2026.
“I would like to thank all the head teachers and teachers who have attended this performance review meeting, and I urge you to remain committed and work hard to produce improved Grade Seven results in 2026,” Mr Bombwe added.
Head teachers from both the government and private schools, led by the District Education Board Secretary’s (DEBS) office, were presented with a statistical analysis of pupil performance in 2025 and measures required to address identified gaps.
