The controversial National Form Four Examinations’ newly-introduced grading took a new twist in the National Assembly, with the Deputy Speaker, Mr Job Ndugai, asking the government to immediately issue a statement to clear the controversy.
Deputy Minister of Education and Vocational Training Philip Mulugo
Deputy Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Philipo Mulugo and his permanent secretary, Prof Sifuni Mchome, have so far issued conflicting statements over the same issue, confusing both members of the public and Form Four finalists who are presently sitting for their final exams.
As the students enter the third day of their examinations, the deputy speaker directed the ministry to come up with credible facts and figures over the grading system, following conflicting statements by the two high profile leaders in the ministry.
While the ministry issued a statement before the media last week that it has abolished Division Zero and has instead introduced Division Five, Mr Mulugo on Monday stood before the Parliament and categorically differed with the permanent secretary.
As the drama unfolded, Mr Mulugo said his statements should be considered as a fact while the ones issued by Prof Mchome should be viewed as ‘’statements with slight mistakes.’’
The statements not only confused education stakeholders and parents, but also MPs and students themselves who now write their papers without knowing exactly how they would be graded.
In the House, Kawe MP (Chadema), Ms Halima Mdee sought the Speaker’s guidance over the controversial statements made by Mr Mulugo and Prof Mchome on the new grades, saying the ministry’s top brass was ‘confusing us all.’
She wondered whose statement should then be considered as valid, further accusing the deputy minister of telling lies in the House. “When two leaders from the same ministry give out antagonistic statement and yet you don’t order the government to issue a statement over the issue, don’t you see you are giving us a hard time to discover the truth of the matter, Mr Deputy Speaker; please help clear this doubt,” Ms Mdee said amid applause from the floor.
The Minister of State, Policy, Coordination and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr William Lukuvi, said that ministers speak on behalf of the government and their statements are the ones that should be considered as valid.
He, however, promised that the government would issue a statement over the saga to clear the uncertainty that has engulfed the nation. In response, Deputy Speaker Ndugai ordered the government to break the silence and give a statement over the controversy.
“It is very unfortunate that students are writing their papers without knowing how they will be graded. I, thus, direct the government to table before this House the correct statement over the grades as we are now confused,” Mr Ndugai said.
By CHRISTOPHER MAJALIWA, Tanzania Daily News
