University entrants warned of fake agents

Dar es Salaam. Over 90,000 candidates, who passed the 2022 Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (ACSEE), have been warned against fake agents who claim to provide services on how to join institutions of higher learning in the country.

The caution was issued yesterday by Tanzania Commission for Universities’ (TCU) executive secretary Charles Kihampa while officially opening of the admission window for the 2022/23 academic year.

The issue of fake agents had some years back posed a challenge to some students who ended up being cheated on while others were granted admission to non-existing institutions abroad.

However, The Citizen reported some of these cases and led the TCU to put emphasis on identifying accredited agents on its website in a bid to curb unauthorized groups from swaying students to mischievous institutions.

“TCU urges the public to avoid being misled by the so-called agents or advisers who claim to provide services on how to join higher education institutions in the country,” Prof Kihampa warned.

The announcement meant that students have a go ahead to start applying for university slots in a period that will last for a month from July 8 through August 5, 2022 where the applications will be sent directly to the respective colleges by the applicants themselves.

The development follows the recently announced ACSEE results by National Examinations Council of Tanzania (Necta) which indicated that 93,136 candidates, equivalent to 98.97 percent passed, including 52, 229 girls (98. 55 percent) and 52, 229 boys (98.55 percent).

As a result, TCU called on eligible applicants to continue accessing accurate information through its website (www.tcu.go.tz), universities’ (those allowed to admit) websites as well as various information provided by the Commission through the media.

“The Commission calls on applicants and the general public to attend the 17th Higher Education, Science and Technology Exhibition which will take place July 18 to 23, 2022 in Dar es Salaam so that they would meet face to face with universities and seek right information,” said Prof Kihampa.

He said students who were eligible from Form Six, with Ordinary Diplomas, or equivalent qualifications and those qualified with the Foundation Certificate of the Open University of Tanzania are the ones who should apply for the upper level.

“Applications should be sent directly to the colleges where the applicant has chosen the study programmes he or she likes. A guide to the approved programmes for admission and the relevant criteria for 2022/23 is available on the TCU website,” said Prof Kihampa.

He required applicants with certificates issued by examination councils abroad to submit their secondary school leaving certificates to Necta or to the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (Nactvet) for Diploma certificates to obtain equivalence of their qualifications before submitting application for admission.