STANDARD Seven pupils across the country will this morning start sitting for their final national examinations, with a 4.7 per cent increase in the number of candidates, which is equivalent to 43,130 candidates.
Addressing a press conference, yesterday, the Executive Secretary of the National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA), Dr Charles Msonde, said pupils who sat for Std VII exams last year were 917,072, whereas registered pupils to undertake the exams this year are 960,202.
The Standard Seven National Exams are scheduled for the 5th and 6th of this month, he said. According to him, the candidates are from Tanzania mainland and are from 16,845 registered schools.
"Of the 960,202 pupils, 456,230 candidates equivalent to 47.51 per cent are boys while 503,972 candidates amounting to 52.49 per cent are girls," Dr Msonde said.
Furthermore, he added that, among the 960,202 candidates registered to sit for the exams this year, 918,653 will use Swahili while 41,549 will do the exams in English, which they have been using during their learning period. Moreover, there will be 90 blind candidates comprising 59 boys and 31 girls.
And 846 candidates are partially blind, where 475 are boys and 371 are girls. "This year's exams will include five subjects which are Kiswahili, English Language, Science, Mathematics and Social studies," he added.
Dr Msonde explained that the examination structure, this year, will be slightly different from last year, where they had 50 questions, all of them being multiple choices. This year, there will be 45 questions with 40 multiple choice questions and 5 being open ended questions.
"All preparations for exams are complete, together with distribution of national examination papers, special forms of Optical Marker Reader (OMR) and all other important documents concerning the exams," said Dr Msonde.
"This examination is important as it marks the basic foundation the pupils require; it measures their level of understanding on what they have learnt for the period of seven years - the results of these exams are to be used to select those who will be able to join higher education.
Hence, they are very important exams to the pupils, parents and the nation at large. NECTA urges regional and municipal examination committees to ensure that all and proper procedures are followed before, during and after the national exams.
All committees are directed to ensure the examination centres have desirable environment which are harmonious and safe surroundings, conducive for exams and devoid of cheating," he noted.
He further urged regional and district examination committees to ensure that all exam regulations are observed accordingly and avoid any fraudulent acts.
Meanwhile, NECTA believes that teachers have prepared well their pupils during the study period of seven years.
"Hence it is our expectation that the candidates will do the exams faithfully, putting into regard the regulations so that the results will display their true levels of understanding," he stressed.
Dr Msonde called upon all school owners registered to participate in this year's national exams to respect their schools as examination centres and not to interfere with exam proceedings or functions during the entire period the exams are conducted.
"We will not hesitate to remove any school that is proved to have obstructed the national examination process," he said.
NECTA also called upon all candidates, exam invigilators, school owners and the entire community to refrain themselves from any acts of cheating during the exams, as strict measures will be taken against any perpetrator, including cancelling candidates' results in accordance with the law.
