According to the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (Necta), a total of 1,172,279 candidates have been registered. Of these, 535,138 are boys (45.65 percent) and 637,141 are girls (54.35 percent).
Dar es Salaam. Nearly 1.2 million pupils will today and tomorrow sit for this year’s Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) at 19,441 schools in mainland Tanzania.
According to the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (Necta), a total of 1,172,279 candidates have been registered. Of these, 535,138 are boys (45.65 percent) and 637,141 are girls (54.35 percent).
The candidates will be tested in six subjects of Kiswahili, English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Studies, and Civics and Vocational Skills.
Briefing the media yesterday, Necta executive secretary Said Mohamed said all arrangements had been completed, including the distribution of examination papers and relevant materials to every region.
“We believe that teachers have prepared pupils well for the past seven years, and it is now time for them to demonstrate what they have learnt,” he said.
But beyond the smooth preparations, Prof Mohamed delivered a stern warning against malpractice, which has tarnished the credibility of national examinations in previous years.
“The Council will not tolerate any form of cheating. Any candidate found guilty will have their results nullified in line with the regulations,” he stressed.
The warning comes against a backdrop of rising cases of exam malpractice. In 2024, the Council cancelled the results of 61 pupils, 45 for cheating and 16 for writing abusive content on answer sheets.
The year before, 31 pupils suffered the same fate. Although the numbers represent less than 0.05 percent of total candidates, experts warn that the consequences for those caught are devastating.
An education policy analyst, Dr Ester Mbwana, said exam malpractice not only robs pupils of their academic future but also undermines the integrity of the education system.
“For a 13-year-old, having results cancelled means repeating an entire year, often in shame. It also crushes confidence and can lead to pupils dropping out altogether.
The system loses credibility too, because one case of cheating can cast doubt over thousands of honest candidates,” she explained.
One trend worrying Necta is the number of pupils who write insults or irrelevant content on answer sheets. Psychologists say this is often a symptom of exam anxiety and poor preparation.
According to an education psychologist, Mr Leonard Mrema, pupils resort to such behaviour when they feel overwhelmed or hopeless during exams.
“When a child insults an examiner in writing, it is not only misconduct but also a cry of frustration. This points to weaknesses in exam readiness, parental guidance, and psychological support within schools,” he said.
Mr Mrema noted that schools need to invest more in counselling services to help pupils handle exam pressure.
“Preventing writing abuses is not about punishment alone. It is about building resilience and preparing pupils mentally for this high-stakes exercise,” he added.
Prof Mohamed reminded school owners and heads that examination centres are under the sole authority of invigilators and that no interference will be tolerated.
Communities, too, have been urged to create a peaceful environment to allow candidates to sit their exams without distraction.
Among those sitting the exam this year are 4,679 candidates with special needs, including 92 with visual impairment, 1,551 with low vision, 1,079 with hearing impairment, 448 with intellectual disabilities, and 1,509 with physical disabilities.
Looking ahead
Beyond PSLE, Tanzania will this year roll out its first national assessment for Standard Two pupils, in line with the 2023 curriculum reforms. Prof Mohamed explained that the test will not determine promotion but will assess learners’ understanding to help teachers tailor support.
“There will be no repetition of classes. The purpose is purely diagnostic, to strengthen teaching and learning for individual pupils,” he said.
