Form IV students begin national exams today
FORM IV students begin their final examinations from today, with the number of registered school candidates increasing by 1.6 per cent.
The National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA)’s Executive Secretary, Dr Said Mohammed told reporters on Sunday that the number of this year’s candidates increased from 534,753 registered last year, to 543,386 candidates.
He further stated that 28,952 private candidates will also sit for the examination, hence making a total of 572,338 candidates.
Of the 543,386 school candidates registered in 2023, boys are 250,237, equal to 46.05 per cent and girls are 293,149, equal to 53.95 per cent, he noted.
He added that there were also 614 school candidates with special needs, of which 283 are visually impaired, 24 are blind, 135 have hearing impairment, 11 have mental disabilities and 161 have physical disabilities.
He warned against misconducts during the exams that may tarnish the academic trajectory of examinees.
In line with this, he urged the invigilators to make sure that candidates with special needs write their exams properly in order to obtain their fundamental rights.
He listed those rights including providing them with braille materials.
Additionally, he said all candidates with special needs should be given an extra twenty (20) minutes for mathematics and ten (10) minutes for other subjects.
Speaking about the preparation of the exam, he said, all preparations for this year’s exams have been completed, including distribution of examination papers, answer booklets and all important documents related to the relevant exams in all regions of Tanzania, the Mainland and Zanzibar.
“The regional examination committees and councils have completed all the required arrangements, including engaging invigilators in seminars and making sure the examination centres are calm and secure,” he explained.
He said the examinations were significant as they serve as an assessment on the students’ proficiency in all subjects covered in their four years of secondary education.
Furthermore, the exam results are taken into consideration when choosing students to join the advanced level of secondary education (form V) and other professional disciplines like agriculture and health.
Similarly, he cautioned all committees entrusted with managing the CSEE to observe and adhere to the law by ensuring that there are no loopholes for frauds in the exams.
He also directed all the committees to ensure that the security of the selected centres is strengthened and that the centres are used in accordance with the guidelines.
“The council calls on all the invigilators to do their management work with the utmost attention and integrity and to comply with the examination rules and guidelines given to them,” he said.
He also warned that the council will not hesitate to eliminate any exam centre under the condition that its presence endangers the safety of the exams.
