Form Six NECTA Examination New Format

The examination format booklet has been prepared to cover all subjects taken by candidates sitting for the Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examinations as prescribed by Circular Number 3 of the Ministry of Education and Vocation Training (MOEVT), of June 2009 (Appendix 3) and will be used with effect from 2020.

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The booklet has been prepared to address the important improvements on current assessment procedures including the skills tested which focus on competence  based assessment. Specifically, the improvement made in this booklet includes the reduction of the number of optional questions to most subjects so as to enable the candidates to attempt similar types of questions hence increasing both the validity and reliability of the examinations.

Also, the sections in the examination papers are determined by the type of the questions rather than topics. In addition, this examination format booklet includes the reviewed mode of administering practical examinations in which One Month Advance Instructions has been replaced with a checklist for the required materials for conducting the practical examinations.

The improvements made are also in line with the Tanzania Education and Training Policy of 2014 which, among other things, aims at making the country achieve middle income economy and industrial development by 2025. Therefore, the National Examinations Council of Tanzania has to redefine its assessment procedures which focus on the competence based assessment.

The examination formats for different subjects are presented in five numbered paragraphs which include introduction, general objectives, general competences,  examination rubric and examination content.

A table of specifications is inserted at the end of each subject’s examination format. However, the number of questions in every cognitive level is not indicated in the table of specifications because they are expected to vary each year. Moreover, a sample of important key words used in assessment and verbs/phrases to be avoided has been indicated in Appendix 1 – 2.

This examination format booklet is therefore, expected to provide guidance to examination setters, moderators and officers to set fair, valid and reliable examination items. It also provides guidance to both teachers and prospective candidates on the structure of the examination papers. However, classroom teachers are strongly advised not to replace the syllabus with examination formats.