• NAQEZ is strongly proposing a system of equating the cut- off point for boys and girls.
• Statistics have clearly indicated that girls in Zambia have been performing much better than boys at primary level.
• Putting the same cut- off point for both boys and girls will put away the dangerous inferiority complex.

National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) has urged Ministry of Education to introduce only one cut-off point for boys and girls at Grade 7 level to promote healthy academic competition.
Organization Executive Director Aaron Chansa noted that in the recent past, statistics have clearly indicated that girls in Zambia have been performing much better than boys at primary level in almost all subjects but despite these facts, girls are still given a lower cut- off point for passage to Grade 8.
Mr. Chansa stated that putting the same cut- off point for both boys and girls will put away the dangerous inferiority complex that has been fed to the girls for many year.
“As we remain with only five months before Grade 7 candidates sit for their final examinations and as the nation will practically be doing away with 100% automatic progression to Grade 8, NAQEZ is strongly proposing a system of equating the cut- off point for boys and girls.”
“In the past few years, statistics have clearly indicated that girls in Zambia have been performing much better than boys at primary level in almost all subjects. Last year, more girls passed with Division One certificates than boys did. Despite these facts, girls are still given a lower cut- off point for passage to Grade 8. This practice cannot be justified,” Mr. Chansa stated.
He added that the organization is looking forward to the way the Ministry of Education will handle the 2023 Grade 7 learners who will need to undergo vocational training in January 2024.
“Lowering academic targets for girls at this level is perpetuating a false and old narrative that boys are more intelligent than girls that girls can only be second best. The girls of Zambia have proved this notion wrong by consistently outperforming boys in examinations.”
“Putting the same cut- point for both boys and girls will put away the dangerous inferiority complex that has been fed to the girls for many years, wrongly convincing them that they are academically inferior to the boys with whom they are at same Grade level, e.g. Grade 7, 9 or 12, he added.