Tanzania’s ministry of education has postponed the Advanced Certificate for Secondary Examinations Education until further notice due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
The countries Permanent Secretary, Dr. Leonard Akwilapo on April 22, 2020, responded to questions from parents and form six students about their fate over final exams that were set to begin early May.
According to the 2020 Advanced Certificate for Secondary Examinations (ACSEE) timetable, Form Six candidates were supposed to begin the exams on May 4, 2020, starting with General studies in the morning.
Recently, parents and students have been struggling to find out whether the ACSEE will continue as planned or not as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has since led to the closure of all schools and colleges to contain further spread of the virus.
Speaking to The Citizen, Dr Akwilapo made it clear that all examinations will have to wait until further notice.
“The National Examinations Council of Tanzania (Necta) has distributed letters to all regional and district administrative secretaries and to all public and private schools, notifying them on the cancellation of all examinations in the country until it is re-announced,” he said.
Instead, Dr. Akwilapo urged students to keep on learning at home for their own good as the government strives to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
President John Magufuli on April 22 ruled out the possibility of locking down the commercial hub, Dar es Salaam because of the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“There are those who have suggested that we lockdown Dar es Salaam. This is not possible, “said the President
He added: Dar es Salaam is the only centre where we collect almost 80 percent of the country’s revenue, we can continue taking all measures to curb the virus but not by locking down Dar es Salaam.
President Magufuli was addressing a joint meeting of heads of defense and security in his home town Chato where he touched on several issues but chief being the fight against COVID-19.
According to the President, there are several people who have recovered (almost 100) but very few have since been declared officially.
“Preach positive messages about the pandemic because it is not true that everyone who dies it is because of the coronavirus.”