Education Minister Prof Adolf Mkenda has challenged the new National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) board to safeguard examination integrity and reform assessment methods to ensure academic qualifications reflect students’ actual abilities.
Prof Mkenda said credible examinations were critical to producing competent professionals, warning that the quality of assessment had implications for the skills and expertise available to drive Tanzania’s development.
Speaking on October 21, 2026, during the inauguration of the new board in Dar es Salaam, he urged members to work closely with NECTA management to strengthen examination supervision and maintain public confidence in the national assessment system.
“Examination integrity must be protected at all costs,” was the minister’s central message, underscoring the importance of credible results in building a skilled workforce.
Beyond preventing examination malpractice, Prof Mkenda called for assessment methods that test students’ ability to think critically, analyse information and tackle unfamiliar problems rather than relying mainly on memorisation.
He said the country needed graduates who could apply knowledge to practical challenges, making improvements in how students are assessed an important part of strengthening education outcomes.
The emphasis on critical thinking points to a broader challenge for the education system: ensuring that examination results demonstrate not only what students have learned but also what they can do with that knowledge.
For employers and institutions that rely on academic qualifications to recruit or admit candidates, credible assessments are essential in determining whether graduates possess the competencies required for their respective fields.
Prof Mkenda said examination supervision and integrity remained fundamental to producing professionals with the competence and expertise needed across different sectors.
He also stressed the importance of cooperation between the board and NECTA management, saying the council had maintained operational stability and should continue improving its assessment systems.
The minister congratulated the new board chairperson, Prof Alfred Said Sife, following his appointment by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, and thanked other members for accepting the responsibility.
He urged them to discharge their duties with integrity and professionalism, stressing the importance of protecting the credibility of the examinations administered by the council.
The board is expected to work with NECTA management to improve examination administration and assessment standards, including the emphasis on analytical and problem-solving skills.
The credibility of national examinations has implications beyond schools. Reliable results help students progress to higher levels of education, enable institutions to make informed admission decisions and give employers greater confidence in the qualifications presented by job applicants.
Prof Mkenda said maintaining high standards in examination administration was therefore essential to developing human resources capable of contributing to Tanzania’s progress.
The challenge for the new board will be to sustain examination integrity while ensuring that assessment methods increasingly measure the knowledge, critical thinking and practical abilities learners need beyond the classroom.