Minister of Education Agnes NyaLonje has described this year’s Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examination results as an improvement from the 50.02 pass rate obtained last year.

Speaking in Lilongwe yesterday when she presided over the release of this year’s MSCE results, Nyalonje said the improved pass rate is a reflection of better learning outcomes.

Pleased: NyaLonje

She said: “For us to achieve what we have achieved, it reflects that teachers are continuing to work hard. It also reflects that teachers are being supported well.”

According to the results, out of 152 391candidates, 86 477 passed, representing a 58.44 percent pass rate. Last year, 63 949 passed out of 123 008 candidates, representing a 50.02 percent pass rate.

Out of 70 132 female candidates this year, 36 795 have passed, representing a 52.47 percent pass rate. While 49 682 out of 77 845 male candidates have passed, representing a 63.82 percent pass rate.

On percentages of candidates with distinction passes, St Kizito Seminary came first with 53.54 percent followed by Marist Private School, with 51.86 percent; Nankhunda Seminary has 47.57 percent, Lilongwe Islamic with 44.79 percent, Dedza Secondary School has 37.82 percent, St Mary’s Girls Secondary School has 34.40 percent, Loyola Jesuit has 32.36 percent, Lilongwe Girls Secondary School has 29.89 percent, Maranatha Boys Academy has 28.53 percent while Wasambo Boys High School has 28.41 percent.

In her remarks, Malawi National Examinations Board executive director Dorothy Nampota observed that discipline in schools has contributed to the success of candidates.

She said: “The fact that most schools that have performed very well are mission secondary schools, we can say that discipline matters most to the success of students.

“However, sometimes a school cannot perform well due to lack of important materials for quality education.”

Meanwhile, education policy activist Benedicto Kondowe has observed that this year’s results show that the country’s education systems are still falling short “and government needs to analyse what is missing and invest in improving the on the shortfalls”.

In an interview yesterday, Kondowe said what has been described as an improved pass rate this year is not really something to be proud of, and that it is an indication that the ministry is still struggling to improve the pass rate of MSCE examinations.

But another education expert Steve Sharra has described this year’s pass rate as a remarkable improvement.

Said Sharra: “Given everything that secondary education is going through, there has been an upward trend since 2020 when the pass rate was 50 percent. The ministry’s policy goal is a pass rate of 75 percent and above, so we are a long way from that, but the progress is in the right direction.”

He, however, observed that the pass rate for female students is still lagging behind; hence, the need to revisit the approach. “Of late, we have seen a backlash against the focus on girls education, with rising concerns that boys are now a problem being left behind. But these results show that girls are still lagging behind, and it is worrisome. It signals a problem with the approach,” he said

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