Failure rate down 10pc in new Form 4 results

Education and Vocation Training, Dr Shukuru Kawambwa 

 

In Summary

The number of students who scored division two is now 10,355 students as opposed to the earlier 6,453. The number of students who scored division two is now up by 1.22 per cent.

Dar es Salaam. The new 2011/12 Form 4 national examination results announced yesterday are better than those that were cancelled by about nine per cent. The previous ones, announced on February 18, were nullified following mass failure at over 60 per cent. 

The Minister forEducation and Vocation Training, Dr Shukuru Kawambwa, said yesterday that, after standardisation, the new results indicate that the number of students who scored division zero has dropped slightly.

In the new scheme of things, the number of students who scored between division one and four rose to 159,747--up from the earlier 126,847. This means the pass rate has now risen by 9.3 per cent.

Speaking at the ministry’s headquarters, Dr Kawambwa said the new results were compiled using the same method applied in the annulled results. “In both results, we used a system known as fixed grade ranges,” Dr Kawambwa said, “but in the new results I am about to announce. some standardisation was done.”

Going by the new results, 35,349 students scored between division one and division three--which is equivalent to 9.55 per cent. This means that the percentage of those who scored division one to three has risen by 3.63 per cent. The number of those who scored division one has risen to 3.242 students compared to 1,641 who scored the same division earlier. This is equivalent to 0.48 per cent of students who scored division one in the February results.

The number of students who scored division two is now 10,355 students as opposed to the earlier 6,453. The number of students who scored division two is now up by 1.22 per cent. Those who scored division three number 21,752 compared to 15,426 previously--and that grading level has gone up by 2.01 percent. Division Four holders stand at 124,260, up from 103,327--a rise of 18.07 percent. Conversely, the number of students who scored division zero dropped to 210,846 against 240,903 students earlier.

The difference between the number of students who scored division zero in the new results compared to the previous results is equivalent to 3.78 per cent of students who sat the exams.

The results released in February were cancelled in March after a public uproar over the 60 percent failure rate. The National Examinations Council of Tanzania (Necta) used a new examination grading system called Fixed Grades Ranges in the ill-fated exams, according to Dr Kawambwa, giving the impression that many students had failed.

In previous years, the system used was the Flexible Grade Ranges. “In yesterday’s results, the same Fixed Grade Ranges was used but Necta standardised the results,” Dr Kawambwa added.

In addition to cancelling the results, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda formed a team to probe the reasons for the failure. The final report has yet to be released.

Dr Kawambwa said the panel appointed to standardise the results did its best and favoured no one. “We are after quality education and not favouritism,” he added. “Necta has never and will never favour any individual.”

According to Dr Charles Msonde of Necta, no students who sat the examination had their grades pulled down. After reviewing the previous results, he added, almost all who deserved it had their marks raised according to the recommendations of the review panel.


 Responding to questions from reporters, Dr Kawambwa assured the nation that the students will proceed to the next level according to plan. “Everything is under control,” he said. “There is no need to worry because the selection will be announced as soon as possible and the students will join their higher level studies in July.”