Form IV, VI exam dates changed

 Aim is to ensure teachers have ample time to mark papers

Effective next year, Form Six and Four students will sit for their national examinations in May and November respectively, instead of February and October, the government has confirmed.The move is aimed at enabling teachers to mark the examinations during June and December holidays, the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) said, adding that it will recruit more teachers for marking the final examinations countrywide.

Speaking in an interview with The Guardian yesterday in Dar es Salaam John Nchimbi NECTA‘s Public Relations Officer said that the council proposed reinstatement of the system to the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.

“The marking exercise will take place during school holidays, providing teachers with ample time to mark the exams, hence provide accurate results,” he said.

He said the Ministry has endorsed the proposal to allow more teachers to be involved in the exam marking.

“We have been experiencing difficulties in getting teachers for marking the papers, because by the time the students sit for the examinations, schools are still in session,” he said.

“We hope that this system will make the marking more effective and ensure better results.”

When contacted to give details on the issue, Education and Vocational Deputy Ministry, Philipo Mulugo confirmed that the ministry had endorsed the NECTA proposal.

“My ministry went through the proposal to satisfy itself that it will not have any negative effects and accepted it. We found it to be a good idea and very helpful to teachers in having ample time when it comes to marking the examinations,” he underlined.

Mulugo assured students set to sit for next year’s examinations that the new system will not affect their preparations because it has been implemented to enable teachers assigned to do their job accurately.

The current system of holding Form Four examinations in October was adopted in 2005 while that of holding Form Six exams in February was adopted in 2006.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN