Joseph Isangura
The National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) has announced a significant rise in registrations for this year’s Form Four national examination, with the number of candidates increasing by 7.67 percent compared to last year.
Speaking to the press, NECTA’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Said Mohamed, confirmed that a total of 595,816 candidates are registered to sit for the exam, which begins today and continues until December 5. Of these, 569,914 are school-based candidates, while 25,902 are independent candidates, sitting for the exams across 5,868 secondary schools and 813 examination centres nationwide.
Prof. Mohamed provided a gender breakdown among school candidates, noting that 266,028 are boys (46.68 percent) and 303,886 are girls (53.32 percent). Among them, 1,128 students have special educational needs, including 860 with low vision, 70 who are blind, 58 with hearing impairments, five with intellectual disabilities, and 135 with physical disabilities.
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For independent candidates, 10,862 are boys (41.93 percent) and 15,040 are girls (58.07 percent). A total of 56 independent candidates have special needs, including 49 with low vision and seven who are blind.
Prof. Mohamed emphasized the importance of the Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (CSEE) as a critical milestone for students’ academic and career pathways. He urged exam supervisors to ensure a fair, secure, and supportive environment, particularly for candidates with special needs.
Education experts note that the rise in registrations reflects growing confidence in the national examination system and improved access to secondary education across Tanzania. NECTA has also highlighted its commitment to inclusive education, ensuring that students with disabilities are accommodated and supported during high-stakes national assessments.
