TANZANIA: A TOTAL of 1,397,370 candidates across the country are sitting for the for Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) today, as the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) warns against cheating in exams.
At least 654,652 boys equivalent to 46.85 per cent and 742,718 girls equivalent to 53.15 per cent are sitting for PSLE, including 4,583 candidates with special needs.
According to NECTA's Executive Secretary Dr Said Ally Mohammed, there is an increase in the number of candidates by 0.93 per cent compared to last year in which, 1,384,340 wrote their exams.
NECTA warned candidates, examination committees, invigilators, school owners, school principals and society against involving themselves in any act of planning and implementing fraudulent schemes, saying stern measures will be taken against the culprits.
Briefing journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Dr Mohammed said that council would not hesitate to take measures against anyone involved in any cheating or swindling in any school.
On the candidates' side, he said the council believes that teachers have prepared them well throughout the seven years of primary education. Thus, it is the expectation of the council that students will take the exam under the examination rules.
"The Council does not expect to see any student involved with fraudulent practices and warned that if any student is identified to commit fraud, his or her results will be canceled according to examination regulations" he insisted.
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Dr Mohamed also said that school owners and principals are not required in any way to interfere with the duties of invigilators throughout the exam period adding that the Council will not hesitate to cancel any examination center that endangers the safety of national exams.
"The exams are conducted in 18,320 schools countrywide ... Committees should make sure that the environment of examination centres is safe, and stable and prevents any loopholes that could lead to fraud. They must make sure the security of selected centres is strengthened and used under the guidelines issued by the council," Dr Mohamed said.
He added," Invigilators should also observe the rights of pupils with special needs, including a 20-minute extension for mathematics and a 10-minute extension for other subjects as directed by the council,"
Among special needs candidates, there are 101 blind candidates, 1,321 with low vision, 1,125 with hearing impairment, 549 with intellectual impairment, and 1,487 with physical impairment.
The council chief said pupils will be measured in six core subjects of Kiswahili, English Language, Science and Technology, Mathematics, Social Studies and Vocational Skills, Civic and Moral Education.
NECTA called upon all stakeholders to report to the relevant bodies whenever they detect a person or group of people engaging in exam fraud.
