Lower Six (Form 5) classes will begin on January 27 after the Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) released the November 2024 O’ Level results last Friday.
The Primary and Secondary Education Secretary, Moses Mhike, confirmed the date in a statement on Monday. Said Mhike:
<blockquote>
The commencement date for the 2025 lower sixth classes is Monday, the 27th of January 2025. Please ensure that all Heads of schools, teachers, parents and pupils are advised of this date.
The fees payable by the lower six pupils will be on a pro-rata basis to the approved Term One fees for each school, given by the following formula: Number of days remaining in Term 1 2025 x total approved term 1 Fees Number of days in Term 1 2025. All schools are expected to commence Lower Six classes on the given date.
</blockquote>
ZIMSEC released the 2024 Ordinary Level results last week, with a 33.19% pass rate.

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Lower Sixth (Form 5) classes will start on January 27 after the O'Level results were released. The Secretary of Education, Moses Mhike, confirmed this date. The fees for Lower Six will be based on the remaining days in Term 1. All schools should start classes on the given date. The O'Level pass rate was 33.19%.

Lower Six Classes To Start On January 27

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has reiterated that school fees, be it tuition or boarding, to be paid by Lower Sixth classes should be less than the rest who started classes last month.
Lower Sixth classes start today, Monday 13 February, following the release of Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) O’Level results last week.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/lower-sixth-classes-begin-today/">The Herald</a>, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said Lower Sixth fees for this term will be paid on a pro-rata basis. He said:
<blockquote>
We do not expect any disruptions on reopening and in the learning process.
Schools must take note that since this group is coming in to join others who started on January 9, their fees will be charged on a pro-rata basis.
We don’t want our learners idling around aimlessly and falling victim to social ills like initiation into drug abuse.
In view of that realisation, we have decided that they resume their studies this Monday.
</blockquote>
Ndoro said the ministry’s position was that three subjects are enough for Advanced Level learners and in cases where some see the need then they could go for four.
He also reminded teachers that paid-for extra lessons were illegal but in cases where teachers feel the need for extra lessons, they should include the whole class and should be at no extra cost.

SCHOOL FEES: Form Five Learners Must Pay Less Than Other Classes - Ndoro

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education said that Lower Sixth classes will commence lessons in the second term.
This comes after the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) has failed to release Ordinary Level examination results in time, with the first term ending on Thursday, 07 April.
Education Ministry spokesperson, Taungana Ndoro, told State media that it is not possible to make an arrangement that will allow Form Five pupils to start attending lessons this term. Said Ndoro:
<blockquote>
For now, it is impossible to have a special arrangement for the Lower Sixth pupils for them to resume classes for the first term.
What will happen is that the parents and guardians will use the school holiday to look for places and they will start lessons with the rest of the classes for the second term.
For now, we are awaiting ZIMSEC to release the Ordinary Level results which I believe is now imminent.
</blockquote>
Normally, O’ Level results are released towards the end of January so that Form Five pupils start attending lessons during the first term.
ZIMSEC has not revealed the reasons why the results are still not out but the marking of examinations was disrupted by markers’ strike over unpaid allowances which might have caused the delay.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/no-date-for-o-and-a-level-results-release-zimsec/">The Sunday News</a></h4>

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