Tanzania Government - Typos for Teachers' List Fiasco

President’s Office responsible for Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Joseph Nyamuhanga

Summary

• Mr Abdallah Ahmed Jigwa went viral on social media last week, immediately after releasing a list of 13,000 newly-recruited primary and secondary teachers published by the government on Friday

By Louis Kolumbia and Peter Elias

Dar es Salaam — The government yesterday said "typos" were to blame for the list showing that a

person who completed Form Four last year has been recruited as a primary school teacher in Ruvuma Region.

Mr Abdallah Ahmed Jigwa went viral on social media last week, immediately after releasing a list of 13,000 newly-recruited primary and secondary school teachers published by the government on November 27, 2020.

However, the list released by the permanent secretary in the President's Office responsible for Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Joseph Nyamuhanga, had only 8,000 names.

But, social media critics questioned how Mr Jigwa, who completed Form Four at Mnadani Primary School last year, qualified for the post one year later.

They also questioned Mr Jigwa's performance, saying he scored Division IV with 31 points, getting 'D' in History and English, and 'C' in Swahili.

Efforts to get clarifications from PS Nyamuhanga proved futile. But the permanent secretary in the ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Dr Leonard Akwilapo, said there were 'typos' recorded alongside Mr Jugwa's name

"There is a printing typo in the teacher's details. Mr Jigwa completed Form Four in 2013 and not 2019 as indicated in the list. He then went for teaching training," clarified Dr Akwilapo.

In the government's list of newly recruited teachers, Mr Jigwa is supposed to report at the Lelolelo Primary School in Tunduru District Council, Ruvuma Region.

Mnadani Primary School head teacher Mecky Mhepwa said Mr Jigwa's name was missing in the list of 2019 Form Four leavers.

According to him, a person called Abdallah who completed Form Four was called Abdallah Awadh Tamimu and had examination registration number S2732-0075.

"A student with examination registration number S2732/0091 in 2019 is David Mushi William. However, available records show that Mr Jigwa was admitted at school in 2010 and completed Form Four in 2013," he said.

Investigation made by this paper show in the Necta website show that a student with examination registration number S2732/0091 scored Division III with 30 points.

The website shows that his scores are; Civics - 'D' History- 'C' Geography - 'D' Kiswahili- 'B' English- 'B' Physics- 'E' Chemistry- 'D' Biology- 'D' and Basic Mathematics- 'E', therefore clearing doubts over his illegibility for the profession.

Questioned about a number of other recruited teachers to have completed Form Four last year, Dr Akwilapo said he was unaware, promising to work on the names if submitted to him.

A quick checkout by The Citizen has revealed that Mr David Lameck Ndossa with examination registration number S1943/0147 got Division Four in his exams last year.

But he has been picked as a laboratory technician at Lugufu Girls Secondary School in Uvinza, Kigoma Region. Ms Mariam Said Dibwine with examination registration number S0208-0140/2019 completed Form Four at Kisutu Girls Secondary School in Dar es Salaam and got Division II.

Ms Dorah Frederick Tarimo with examination registration number S1165-0004/2019 scored Division Four at Bangala Lutheran Secondary School and she is now supposed to teach History and Kiswahili at Nyakinyo Primary School in Kibiti, Coast Region. Mr Shafii Mohamed Namkurung'undu with examination registration number S0738-0076/2019 completed Form Four at Ridhwaa Seminary in Dar es Salaam. But Necta's website shows that the school had 61 candidates while the candidate's indicated that there were more candidates.

Furthermore, Winnei Elias Mbise with exams registration number S0687-0124/2019 identified in the Necta website as a male candidate scored Division Two and has been picked as a teacher at Mlingano Secondary School in Tanga Region.

However, there were names of other teachers who completed Form Four last year, but their schools were missing in the Necta website including Rajab Stuart William (S0440-0963/2019), Antia Dorgratius Angelo (S0660-0541/2019) and Shoto Sosthenes Nyanda (S1380-1058/2019).

The Tanzania Teachers Union (TTU) President Leah Ulaya said it was impossible for unqualified teachers to be recruited due to the presence of known and established recruitment procedures.

"I don't believe the government can employ unqualified teachers. There should be some problems somewhere," she said, declining to provide more details.

A teacher who demanded anonymity said the current procedures require primary teachers to have a diploma in education secured in three years of studies.