Shocking network exposes deep rot in Tanzania’s examinations

A recent survey exposed an intricate network involving teachers, examination officials, middlemen and even parents, shedding light on the shocking channels of an elaborate cheating syndicate in national examinations.

The survey revealed that teachers play a pivotal role in various stages of the examination process, from registration and setting of exams to invigilation, supervision and marking.

However, economic challenges faced by teachers, coupled with low income and financial strains, create an environment ripe for misconduct in exchange for monetary incentives.

School management and administration also contribute significantly to academic mischief. The pressure to meet high parental demands for excellent results and the desire to maintain or boost the school’s reputation lead to unethical practices.

The investigation identified instances where schools formed alliances with parents, pooling financial resources to influence examination administrators and secure favourable outcomes for their students.

“Most of us have a very disappointing working condition; the environment is not motivating at all, and our schools demand better performance. This is where it all starts,” one of the teachers with many years of experience in examination supervision reveals.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he highlighted the challenging working conditions and meagre compensation for supervising exams. 

The allure of financial incentives offered by organised groups often surpasses the meagre daily wage, leading teachers to compromise the examination process.

“Some of us work in very difficult environments. As such, you get the opportunity to supervise the national exam, where you are paid Sh55,000 per day, a mere Sh165,000 for three days. This is where the problem begins,” he narrates. On the other hand, he explains: “If you find a well-organised group offering you an envelope of at least Sh500,000 or Sh1 million, what would you do? All they want is for you to take a nap or be a regular visitor to the bathroom during the progress of the exam.”

Doing so, he noted that four or five minutes are enough for everything to take turns in the examination room with a well-prepared group of students. The pressure to maintain a school’s status, whether public or private, is a common thread that weaves through these illicit activities, according to the source.

“Some public schools’ management is involved in these scandals because there are schools that do not want to lower their status, with the malpractice mostly planned by some municipal councils where the schools are situated,” he says.

Interviewees further cited numerous factors that contribute to the pervasive culture of examination malpractices in the country, including bad study habits, anxiety, panic, a lack of academic competence, incompetent teaching, inadequate seating arrangements and congested examination halls.
 
Technology and practice
Advancements in technology have introduced new dimensions to examination malpractice. The prevalence of smartphones has facilitated the creation of WhatsApp groups for the purpose of stealing exams, the survey revealed.

The ease with which fraudsters communicate and share questions before the exam day poses a significant challenge to maintaining the integrity of national examinations.

An assistant head teacher at one of the best-performing schools in Dar es Salaam says the presence of smart phones has increased and brought new ways of exam malpractice.

“Now that groups are created early before the scheduled time for exams, text messages are sent, and sometimes some questions are received before even the exam is distributed to individual schools, it has become an even easier and safer way for fraudsters,” he says.

He explains that two years ago, their school did very well after a committee was formed between the parents and the school management to ensure the achievement of better results.
“The school quickly told the parents to contribute Sh30,000 each, and all 200 parents and guardians whose children were candidates responded positively. At least Sh10 million was used to lure the chief administrators of the exams to our centre,” he reveals.
Showing one of the WhatsApp groups set up for such fraudulent activities, a head teacher said they started the online group after being asked by one broker, who assured them that they could get questions for three subjects before the exam day.

“Surprisingly, 90 percent of the questions that were sent to us were on the examination papers that the students completed. We then paid him,” he reveals, adding that each school head or owner gave Sh200,000, with the group consisting of 30 people.

However, he noted, “Necta has been keen in recent years, but more needs to be done because brokers are getting a lot of money even for these scandals... For only three exams, we gave him a total of Sh6 million.”

Examination malpractice is reported as one of the most serious threats to the education system at all levels, transcending institutional boundaries and geographical locations.

Over time, incidents of malpractice have become increasingly sophisticated, jeopardising the credibility of examinations as a reliable tool for evaluating learners’ achievements.
 
Government’s efforts
President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed her dissatisfaction with the state of examination malpractice during the 50th anniversary of Necta in December 2023. She urged the Ministry of Education, along with Necta, to take decisive action against theft and fraud in exams.

President Hassan emphasised the importance of fair testing in building a productive workforce, calling for stricter measures to eliminate loopholes that allow unproductive graduates to emerge.

Despite ongoing efforts to curb examination malpractice, irregularities seem to persist. The Necta has implemented measures to address fraud, including the closure of schools identified as centres for national examination fraud. In 2022, 24 schools faced closure, and the results of 2,194 candidates were nullified due to proven fraud attempts. In 2023, 31 candidates had their results cancelled, leading to the closure of two examination centres.

Education minister Prof Adolf Mkenda acknowledged the past challenges of exam leaks but highlighted successful efforts to control institutional fraud.

“What was happening is institutional fraud, where one school cooperates with some officials, the exam is opened in another region, a photo is taken, and then it is closed again and the photo is sent to another region,” he explained.

The minister noted that after various control efforts made by regional and district examination committees, the corruption has been controlled, and such attempts are not witnessed currently as they used to. 

However, one of the examination committee members, from the Shinyanga region, noted that despite the efforts, tricks have continued to last, stressing the need for continued vigilance.
He emphasised the need for the involvement of national security and intelligence services to monitor and prevent malpractices beforehand. “A thorough investigation before national exams, targeting managers and committees involved in planning malpractices, should always be done through the end of exams.”

Education experts supported President Hassan’s advocacy for comprehensive solutions to address the root causes of examination malpractices.

Improving teachers’ working conditions, enhancing their training and competence, and implementing stricter measures against corruption are suggested avenues.

“Investing in technology to secure the examination process and involving national security agencies in proactive monitoring are crucial to preventing fraud,” an education expert, Dr Amos Majula, suggested.

He proposed that government authorities, education stakeholders, and society at large must collaborate to implement robust solutions that address the economic, systemic, and technological factors contributing to malpractices.

“It is time to safeguard the integrity of Tanzania’s education system and secure a future where academic achievements truly reflect the knowledge and capabilities of the nation’s youth,” Dr Majula affirmed.