Dodoma — THE government has defended the current primary education curriculum that allows Standard Seven ( STD VII) pupils to write their final national examination on September, saying the 194- day period is enough for them to cover the prescribed content.

Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Technology Omary Kipanga defended the educational document in Parliament yesterday while responding to the question posed by Tarime Urban CCM legislator, Mwita Kembaki.

In his basic question, the MP questioned the rationale of asking STD VII pupils to sit for the Standard VII National Examination on September while the curriculum demands the candidates to write the exams at the end of the year.

"The curriculum directs the pupils to spend 194 days for studies. The education curriculum also considers other issues, including the period of time for writing internal and national examinations," Mr Kipanga said.

However, the deputy minister said the completion of teaching and learning of the prescribed content for STD VII pupils depends on the respective teacher's work plan.

According to the deputy minister, by September of every year, teachers teaching STD VII pupils are required to have covered all the designed topics prescribed in the curriculum to pave the way for marking the national examination.

"Writing STD VII National Examinations by Standard Seven pupils on September paves the way for having time to timely mark them, release results, including enabling parents and guardians to have ample time to make preparations for their children before joining higher level of education next January," said Mr Kipanga.

However, he said since the government is in the process of reviewing the education curriculum, law and policy, the matter will be looked at before issuing the stand.

"If we, in the ongoing review process, find any necessity of making changes on the matter we will address it but as we speak we have not noted any inconvenience by allowing our pupils to write their final exams on September," he said.