NECTA hailed for promoting meritocracy 

Prof Adolph Mkenda

DAR ES SALAAM:  THE National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) has been commended by the government for playing a significant role in the implementation of meritocracy in the nation.

Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Adolf Mkenda showered praises over the weekend during the launch of a three-day exhibition to commemorate the NECTA 50th Anniversary held at the Mnazi Mmoja garden in Dar es Salaam.

According to him, by administering national examinations, the nation has significantly reduced bureaucracy of allocating opportunities based on friendship, ethnicity, religion, corruption and even inheritance, thereby putting meritocracy into place.

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In a nutshell, meritocracy is a government or the holding of power by people selected according to merit, not because of their money or social position.

“Over the years, NECTA has become a vital filter that helps us identify the most gifted and hardworking candidates to pass from primary school to universities and register for numerous opportunities.”

“Their exams have become a better and easier tool to identify candidates with skills and diligence to reach a high level and then be allocated opportunities according to their performances,” he said.

He added that all government and even private sector job openings place a higher value on curriculum vitae and examination certificates, creating a “society of credentials.”

To implement the system effectively, he  encouraged NECTA to continue being aggressive in the fight against cheating and other loopholes of fraud in the exams, as it conflicts with meritocracy.

Prof Mkenda also criticised the emerging tendency to underrate elites and the education system in the country simply because there are a few rich and successful people who dropped out of school.

“Although there is an issue with underrating elites, this does not change the fact that they play a significant role in the nation,” he noted.

He further elaborated that learning can lead to a better life through a wide understanding and optimistic thinking, not merely financial gain.

He noted that the 2009 Human Development Report clearly demonstrated that many people in the country with education have a higher standard of living than those without it.

“That’s why we are saying education is the key to life,” he stressed.

He further urged NECTA to use their 50th anniversary celebrations to assess their performance and formulate more sound strategies for the future.

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Dr Franklin Rwezimula, pointed out that the ministry is currently putting the Tanzania Education and Training Policy (2014), 2023 edition, into practice, with an emphasis on competence and skills-based learning.

“The policy intends to have in place a vibrant, diverse and result-oriented policy and curriculum, thus increasing the number of skilled and competent graduates in various fields to meet the demands of the national and world markets,” he said.

According to NECTA’s Executive Secretary, Dr Said Ally Mohamed, NECTA is a government institution established by Parliament Act No. 21 of 1973.

According to this law, the council is granted the authority to oversee the administration of the national examinations at the levels of primary education, secondary education and teacher training colleges.

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