Revealed: How exam cheats aided malpractice at Chalinze School
Education, Science and Technology minister Adolf Mkenda gestures as he speaks in a past event. He announced a raft of initiatives yesterday. PHOTO | FILE
Dar es Salaam. The government has explained circumstances how the examination at Chalinze Modern Islamic Pre-Primary and Primary School was marred by malpractices that led to exchange of students’ index numbers in the final examination.
Speaking on October 25, the Minister for Education, Science and Technology Prof Adolf Mkenda, revealed that seven students at the centre had their exam numbers exchanged in fraudulent ways.
This comes after a video clip that went viral on October 13, 2022 showing the candidate, Iptisam Suleiman Slim explaining that her index number was changed during the Primary Education Leaving Examinations (PSLE) held on October 5 and October 6, 2022.
After receiving the information, the government through the National Examinations Council (Necta) contacted the Coastal Region examinations committee and directed it to investigate the candidate's complaint and submit information to Necta.
It was also ordered to examine the hand-writings of the candidates on their scripts by using the Police Force’s Forensic Bureau.
"Based on the information of the Coastal Regional Examinations Committee and the information of the Forensic Bureau, it has been found that a total of seven candidates had their exam numbers changed at the Chalinze centre (PS1408009)," he said.
Prof Mkenda said that Iptisam Suleiman Slim did five lessons using the number PS1408009/0040 and the sixth (last subject) using a different number PS1408009/0039.
He said that four other candidates also changed numbers in the last exam where Jasmin Abdallah Mzee did five exams using the number PS1408009/0041 and the sixth one using the number PS1408009/0040.
Another one, Jokha Abubakar Nassor saw his number changed from PS1408009/0042 to PS1408009/0041 in the last exam. Khailat Hamis Mohamed also did five exams using the number PS1408009/0043 and the sixth exam using the number PS1408009/0042.
Khaula Khamis Mruma, like others, did five exams using the number PS1408009/0039 and the sixth using PS1408009/0043.
Prof Mkenda said the error was caused by some teachers and examination officials, mentioning them as; Mr Muddy Elphas Mndeme (Stream Manager/invigilator), Mr Vitalisa Lucas Kindole (general supervisor), Mr Amran Bakari Ramadhani (Head Teacher) and Mr Rajab Omary Kijangwa (Teacher of Statistics) and they have all reportedly admitted their mistakes.
"According to section 4(8) of the 2016 examination regulations, Chalinze Modern Islamic pre-Primary and Primary School is closed as an examination centre for an indefinite period," he ordered.
