Necta’s warning as Standard Seven exam begins

Dar es Salaam. Over a million Standard Seven pupils across 18,964 schools in mainland Tanzania begin sitting this year’s Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) today.

The examination take place nationwide today and tomorrow, marking a significant milestone in the academic journey of these young students.

The National Examinations Council of Tanzania (Necta) yesterday issued a stern warning to anyone planning to interfere with the examination process.

Necta executive secretary Said Mohamed emphasised the council’s zero-tolerance policy towards cheating or any other forms of malpractice.

“We have put all measures in place to ensure that this exam is conducted fairly and transparently. Any attempts to cheat or disrupt the examination process will be met with severe consequences,” Dr Mohamed stated firmly.

Read: Why maths is still a problem in Standard 7 exam

This year, a total of 1,230,780 candidates have been registered for the PSLE, with 564,176 boys (45.84 percent) and 666,604 girls (54.16 percent).

Of these, 1,158,862 students (94.16 percent) will take the exam in Kiswahili, while 71,918 (5.84 percent) will take it in English, reflecting the languages they have been using in their studies.

Furthermore, Necta has made provisions for 4,583 candidates with special needs, including 98 who are blind, 1,402 with low vision, 1,067 who are deaf, 486 with intellectual disabilities, and 1,530 with physical disabilities.

The gravity of the PSLE cannot be overstated. For many students, this exam determine their future academic paths and, by extension, their opportunities in life.

However, the integrity of the examination process has been under scrutiny in the past due to incidents of cheating.

Dr Mohamed’s warnings come against a backdrop of recurring concerns about examination malpractices, especially in private schools, where some school owners have been implicated in aiding students to cheat.

These schools, often used as examination centres, are now under strict surveillance to ensure that the exam is conducted without any external interference.

“School owners must understand that their schools are designated examination centres, and they have no role in the examination process beyond providing the venue. Any interference will not be tolerated,” Dr Mohamed warned.

The implications of cheating are far-reaching, affecting not just the students involved but the entire education system.

According to Dr Sarah Mushi, an education specialist with over 15 years of experience, cheating undermines the credibility of the education system and erodes trust in the qualifications awarded.