Exam Irregularities Continue to Plague Tanzania’s Education System Despite Improved Performance

Dar es Salaam – The persistence of exam irregularities, particularly cheating and the use of abusive language on answer sheets, continues to raise serious concerns among education stakeholders in Tanzania.

The National Examinations Council of Tanzania (Necta) announced yesterday that it has nullified the results of 38 candidates, including 31 for cheating and seven for writing abusive words on their exam scripts.

This announcement comes despite the overall improvement in national performance reflected in the 2025 Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results.

The punishment, issued under the Necta Act and Examination Regulations, prohibits the affected pupils from using their results for any purpose and requires them to retake future examinations.

Although the number of nullified results may seem small compared to the 1.1 million pupils who sat for the PSLE, experts argue that this trend indicates deeper moral and psychological issues affecting learners and the education system as a whole.

Mental Health Concerns Among Students

Educational psychologists point to stress, frustration, and inadequate preparation as key factors behind such behavior. When pupils write insults or irrelevant messages instead of answers, it indicates more than just indiscipline.

The competitive nature of national examinations, combined with parental and societal pressure to succeed, can lead to anxiety that manifests in destructive ways. Mental and emotional well-being of pupils must be addressed as seriously as academic performance.

Teachers and school administrators have expressed concern that these incidents reflect a decline in moral values among some pupils and insufficient mentorship within schools.

Teachers Sound the Alarm

Education professionals note that although cheating cases have decreased over the years due to stricter supervision, the occurrence of defiance, such as writing abusive language, has become alarming.

Some pupils view exams as punishment rather than an opportunity to showcase their learning, especially when they feel ill-prepared. Pupils lose confidence due to inadequate support in the classroom or poor home study environments. When they encounter difficult questions, they react emotionally, and unfortunately, that sometimes manifests as abusive language.

Pattern of Misconduct

This year’s cases add to a series of similar incidents in recent years. In the 2024 PSLE results, Necta canceled the results of 61 pupils for both cheating and offensive writing. In 2023, pupils at various levels, including Standard Four, Form Two, and Form Four, were also found guilty of similar misconduct.

While Necta continues to condemn these acts, its Executive Secretary, Prof. Said Mohamed, emphasized the institution’s commitment to maintaining examination integrity.

"The Council will continue to enforce strict measures against any form of cheating or misconduct," Prof Mohamed said during the results announcement. "Writing abusive language or engaging in dishonest acts undermines not only the credibility of examinations but also the moral foundation we are trying to nurture in our education system."

Necta has urged schools and parents to strengthen moral guidance and discipline among learners, highlighting that academic success should be accompanied by ethical behavior.

Improved Overall Performance

In terms of exam results, out of 1,146,164 candidates who sat for the exam in September 2025, a total of 937,581 pupils—representing 81.80 percent—achieved passing grades of A, B, or C. In 2024, the pass rate was 80.87 percent, indicating an increase of 0.93 percent this year.

During the results announcement in Dar es Salaam, Prof Mohamed stated that the performance reflects ongoing efforts to improve the delivery of primary education.

"The overall pass rate has increased to 81.80 percent from 80.87 percent recorded in 2024. This shows a positive trend and improvement in learning outcomes at the basic education level," he said.

Of the successful candidates, 429,104 were boys (82.51 percent) and 508,477 were girls (81.21 percent). The girls’ pass rate increased by 1.16 percent from last year, while the boys’ rate improved by 0.66 percent.

Prof Mohamed noted that the quality of performance, measured by the proportion of candidates scoring grades A and B, also improved to 36.90 percent in 2025, an increase of 1.07 percent compared to 2024.

"The improvement in performance, especially among girls, demonstrates the effectiveness of ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing inclusive and equitable access to quality education," he added.