Editors PickNational News
270,646 candidates to sit for PSLCE
At least 270,646 candidates are expected to sit for the Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examinations which will start tomorrow.
The figure represents a decrease of 19, 354 candidates or 6.6 percent as last year about 290, 000 candidates registered for the exams but according to The Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb) only 249,031 wrote the exams.
Speaking in an interview, Maneb spokesperson Simeon Maganga said so far there are no challenges faced as all examination materials including identity cards for candidates were delivered on time.
Said Maganga: “By last week we had finished paying invigilator and security officers’ allowances, all exam materials and identity cards were transferred to holding centers for respective schools for safe keeping,”
Maganga said with support from the Stakeholders Committee on Security of National Exams, he was optimistic that this year’s examinations will be free from leakages.
For two consecutive years the country has reported no case of examination leakages.
“We are working with the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), Teachers Union of Malawi, District Councils and the police who are all members of the committee to make sure national examinations are credible,” said Maganga.
The candidates are sitting for six subjects namely English, Mathematics, Chichewa,Primary Science, Social and Religious Studies, Arts and life skills.
Maneb has since appealed to the general public to give them a tip-off through their toll free line 1991whenever they suspect any examination malpractice in their community.
A visit to some of the primary schools in Blantyre on today morning revealed that all was set for the exams.
Vincent Kapangama, Head teacher for Catholic Institute (CI) primary school, a cluster centre with over 400 candidates from surrounding primary schools, said they had completed setting up all eight classrooms where the candidates will be writing their exams.
To ensure smooth administration of the exams some cluster centers have sent learners from other classes on a three day holiday.
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