The Permanent Secretary of the ministry for Education and Vocational
Training, Prof Sifuni Mchome, addresses reporters in Dar es Salaam
yesterday about the preparation of the new national examination grading
system for both forms Four and Six levels. Right is the Commissioner for
Education, Prof Eustella Bhalalusesa. PHOTO | VENANCE NESTORY
Dar es Salaam. The government has changed the
grading system in secondary schools so that it includes a student’s
continuous assessment in their final national exam results.
The grading will also entail Grade Point Average (GPA) that is applied in higher education.
The changes which come to effect next year will
see the elimination of Division Zero, as the new system will give
results showing scores of Divisions One, Two, Three, Four and Five.
However, a transitional grading system which is in line with the new one has been put in place to cater for this year’s Form Four and next year’s Form Six candidates.
However, a transitional grading system which is in line with the new one has been put in place to cater for this year’s Form Four and next year’s Form Six candidates.
Briefing reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the
permanent secretary in the ministry of Education and Vocational
Training, Prof Sifuni Mchome, said categorisation has also changed as
there will be seven grades indicated as A, B+, B, C, D, E, and F.
A distinction performance – ‘A’ – falls within 25
marks range (75 to 100) instead of the previous 20 marks range (80 to
100) while ‘B’ has been divided in two clusters – ‘B+’ – ranging from 60
to 74 and ‘B’ (50 – 59). Subsidiary categorisation for Form Six leavers
has been removed.
Prof Mchome added that the categorisation will be
defined thus: ‘A’ (an outstanding performance); ‘B+’ (Excellent) ‘B’
(Very Good performance); ‘C’ (Good); ‘D’ (Low) ‘E’ (Very Low) and F
(Unsatisfactory).
Therefore, ‘C’ will be a pass mark average that
does not require remediation. ‘D’ and ‘E’ will be a targeted remediation
pass marks and ‘F’ has been declared an intensive remediation marks.
The system has, however, been received with scepticism by education stakeholders who said quality should come before elimination of failure.
The system has, however, been received with scepticism by education stakeholders who said quality should come before elimination of failure.
Reacting to the news, information and advocacy
manager at HakiElimu Nyanda Shuli queried the motive behind the
reduction of the pass mark, saying if the government did so in order to
minimise the rate of failure, then it was a wrong approach.
However, he commended the move to enforce the
system of continuous assessment, saying it was important in making fair
judgment of the student’s performance and skills gained over the years
ahead of the final exams.
Mr Mtemi Zombwe, an independent educational
expert, criticised the decision to lower the pass mark, saying it sends a
negative message to the students – that they can only get a good grade
if the prerequisite marks are lowered.
“This means we are building a society of people who have to be helped to succeed,” he said.
On the other hand, he praised the system for co-opting marks from the continuous assessment in the final exams.
He noted that the system is positive since it values what a student has learnt in lower classes.
“But, my worry is whether the marks will be valid
because teachers may give their charges free marks to boost their
chances in the national exams, what with today’s low morale among
teachers whose myriad of problems haven’t been problems,” he said.
Speaking to The Citizen recently, education
activist and CEO of Twaweza, Mr Rakesh Rajani, said the problem with
Tanzanian education was not the grading but the collapse of overall
education system.
According to Prof Mchome, the continuous
assessment (CA) will carry 40 against 60 per cent allocated to the final
exam in both Advanced and Ordinary levels.
For the Form Four students, the CA will be
assessed from the following exams: Form Two -- 15 per cent; Form Three
-- 10 per cent, Mocks 10 per cent and 5 per cent from projects.
However, the CA for private candidates will be
earned through the Qualifying Test (QT) while re-sitters will be
assessed through their previous CA.
Prof Mchome further noted that the changes are
part of the efforts by education ministries in both the Mainland and
Zanzibar and education stakeholders aimed at improving the country’s
education system.
Last year’s Form Four which showed a 60 per cent
failure necessitated the formation of a commission of inquiry whose
findings are yet to be made public.
