By Own Correspondent|At least 29 primary schools in Matabeleland North Province recorded a zero percent pass rate in last year’s Grade Seven examinations, a government official have revealed.

According to the official, there was however a 5% improvement in the overall provincial pass rate.

Matabeleland North deputy director responsible for primary education, Mrs Beatrice Manjere said the low marks are attributed to teacher shortages and new schools without adequate materials.

Said Manjere:

We have 29 schools that recorded zero percent pass rate. Same number as last year but different schools and some are new comers. We are going to thoroughly supervise these schools. We will be assisting them on how to handle multi grade teaching because with most of these schools they are small schools.

She said some of the new schools have a staff complement of three teachers who have to teach all the grades.-StateMedia