AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE government has ordered schools to resume their normal timetables, scraping off the extended two hour learning session earlier introduced to fill the gap caused by the abrupt schools’ closure due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Earlier the Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Joyce Ndalichako directed that schools add two hours daily in their time table to compensate lost hours spent at home due to the scourge, so that they cover the entire syllabus within time.
However, the government made a twist yesterday saying practically the move proved impossible to implement. In a statement signed by the Commissioner of Education, Dr Lyabwene Mtahaba, read in part that: “Having done the evaluation of their instructions, the ministry is satisfied that a two-hour extension in the school timetables daily is impossible to implement.
“This is mainly due to having schools with double shift, as well as transportation hurdles faced by pupils/students, especially those who are living far from their schools.”
The statement further stated that the ministry is now directing schools to resume their normal schedules of eight sessions per day.
Though, if a school has befitting reason to increase learning hours, then they should use time illustrated in their normal schedules to implement extra curriculum and extracurricular activities.
“This decision, however, should not extend the normal duration of study for pupils in completing their daily school routines,” stressed the statement.
Prof Ndalichako announced a new school calendar starting from June 29th this year through December 18, with no mid-term break.
She unveiled the national examination schedule indicating that Standard Seven and Form Two will sit their examinations between October 7 and 8 and from November 9 to 20 respectively.
The clarification also illustrated that Form Four and Standard Four, will sit their exams between November 23 and December 11 and on November 25 and 26, respectively.
