NECTA warns malpractices as PSLE start

DAR ES SALAAM: A TOTAL of 1,168,649 Standard Seven pupils across Tanzania Mainland begin their Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) today, with the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) warning that any candidate caught cheating will have their results cancelled.

The two-day national examination will be held today and tomorrow in 20,019 schools, marking one of the country’s biggest education assessments as successful candidates compete for places in secondary schools.

“All candidates registered for the examination must observe the regulations. Any candidate found engaging in examination malpractice will have his or her results cancelled in accordance with examination regulations,” NECTA Executive Secretary, Professor Said Mohamed, said while briefing journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Of the registered candidates, 531,467 (45.48 per cent) are boys, while 637,182 (54.52 per cent) are girls. Prof Mohamed said 1,081,204 candidates (92.52 per cent) will sit the examination in Kiswahili, while 87,445 (7.48 per cent) will take it in English, depending on the language used in their studies.

The council said 4,867 candidates with special needs have registered for this year’s examination, including 82 visually impaired, 1,551 with low vision, 999 with hearing impairment, 576 with intellectual disabilities and 1,659 with physical disabilities.

He said special arrangements have been made to ensure all candidates sit the examination under appropriate conditions, including the provision of Braille examination papers for visually impaired candidates and enlarged papers for those with low vision.

Candidates with special needs will also receive additional time in line with NECTA guidelines, with an extra 20 minutes for every hour in Mathematics and 10 minutes for every hour in other subjects.

The examination covers six subjects: Kiswahili, English Language, Science and Technology, Mathematics, Social Studies and Vocational Skills and Civic and Moral Education.

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Prof Mohamed said preparations for the examination had been completed, including the distribution of examination papers and other essential materials to all regions of Tanzania Mainland.

He also directed examination supervisors to discharge their duties with professionalism, integrity and diligence, while warning school owners and heads against interfering with examination supervision or candidates during the exercise.

The council, he said, will not hesitate to cancel an examination centre if activities at the centre compromise the security and integrity of the national examination.

Prof Mohamed called on parents, teachers and other education stakeholders to support candidates throughout the examination period, while urging the public to maintain peace and order around examination centres and prevent unauthorised persons from entering school premises.

He said the PSLE remains a crucial national assessment, with its results used to determine pupils’ transition to secondary education.