Prof Mkenda issues warning to examination misconduct

Dar es Salaam. The Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Adolf Mkenda, has strongly condemned the rigging of examinations by some unscrupulous government employees and urged school principals not to indulge in such fraud.

Prof Mkenda said this in Dodoma when opening the 17th General Meeting of the Tanzania Secondary School Head teachers' Association (TAHOSA) where he noted that by doing so, the latter was preparing a nation that will fail to work effectively.

He said that the examinations have been going well at the Tanzania Examinations Council except that when it comes to schools there have been very few people who are involved in fraud and that the government will not tolerate such fraud.

"Whoever cheats on the exams we will arrest him, teachers make sure you refuse to indulge in that cheating and be more careful on exam issues," stressed the Minister.

He added that, "At the moment there are cases going on for those who were accused of leaking the exams and I promise that when their sentences are handed down by the Court, we will make their names public so that everyone does not try to get involved in such a fraud."

Speaking on the issue of child development at schools, Prof Mkenda asked teachers to follow the 2020 Guidelines for Education, Counseling and Child Protection in Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Teacher Training Colleges and that if there are any challenges they should be identified.

"Let's work together to protect children, make sure that two children do not sleep in the same bed at school and if there is a toilet challenge, provide information to the authorities,” he noted.

“The goal is to ensure that there is a safe environment for providing education and protecting children," emphasized Prof Mkenda.

He asked the teachers to check the content of the books that enter the school so that they do not damage students but also to use scouts and religious leaders to promote good morals among children in school.

For his part, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the President’s Office-Regional Administration and Local government authorities, Dr Charles Msonde asked Head teachers to monitor the performance of teachers to remove F Grade from the subjects they teach.

"I insist on monitoring the performance of teachers, but also let's strive to ensure that students are good in the language, when they understand it and can write it, it becomes easier for them to understand the lessons," directed Dr Msonde.