We are aware that the examination results of the nine pupils who have completed their secondary education at Einoti School are due out now. However, there is a national crisis in Tanzania over the results, which have dropped drastically this year, and are the worst in the history of Tanzania. There has been a national outcry, and the government has set up an emergency committee to investigate the situation. This committee is due to report back on 15 April, and it is only then that we will be in a position to let you know exactly what is happening with our first nine pupils. This is frustrating for all of us, but the situation is typical of Africa, and only serves to remind us how important our support for these young people is. We have pulled out a few sentences form the national press in Tanzania:

More than 65% of Tanzanian students failed the 2012 form four examinations, the worst result in history, spurring the government to form a temporary inquiry commission. President Jakaya Kikwete tasked Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda to form an inquiry commission to find if the meagre results were due to poorly performing teachers, overly technical tests or uncommitted students. Pinda said the commission would work for six weeks starting Monday (March 4th) to review past performance, consider a rescheduled examination for failing students and to appraise whether the transfer of educational operations from the federal to local governments contributed to poor results.

Tanzania Gender and Networking Programme (TGNP) has called on the National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA) to review its examination marking system used in this year’s Form Four examinations and write them off if shortcomings are discovered.

Six of every ten students who sat for the exams had failed. An overwhelming 240,903 students of a total of 397,126 ended up with Division 0, with a lowly 23,520 (5.92 per cent) emerging with Division I to III passes.

The results have shocked and saddened not only the affected students and their parents but every Tanzanian. Many are concerned about the fate of the about 400,000 students who failed to get the credits needed to proceed with Advanced level education.

While debate rages on, focusing mainly on the deteriorating education standards in the country as the reason for the massive failures over the years, little or no attention at all has been paid to the worrying trends of students committing suicide after the announcement of national examination results.

Just to update you on what we currently believe regarding our nine pupils:

Ally Ntale and Meporoo Sumu have already started employment as mechanics.

Lembris Loisulie was expected to get a place at High School, but this is now clearly in doubt.

Jackson Sanare was expected to get a place at Technical College, but this is now clearly in doubt.

Paulina Laizer and Naurey Levaani had the possibility of getting a place at Technical College, but this is now in doubt.

There was an outside chance of Bwanashamba Pusindawa, John Sanare and Leah Lucas getting a place at Technical College, but this does not look likely now.

Once the committee reports back to the government, and the situation is cleared up, we will have a clearer picture. In the meantime we are gathering information about vocational courses being offered by the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VTC) in Arusha Oljoro.