More work with less effort

Computing School Results of Songambele Ward
Even in the remotest parts of Tanzania, things are gradually changing with the introduction of new information and communication technologies that make work efficient. This brief article shares the experiences of how teachers in 6 schools were able to use computers in setting, marking and releasing examination results in the shortest possible time. On 13^th March 2013, a total of 388 pupils of Standard VII in Songambele Ward sat for their Ward Examinations. The pupils from the 6 schools in the ward included 215 girls and 173 boys. The pupil population per school was as follows: Songambele, Masenha 13 boys and 13 girls, Ndachi  63 girls and 32 boys, Isang’ha  51 girls and 44 boys, Muungano 10 girls and 14 boys and Mtunguchole  girls 15 and 25 boys. These pupils were examined on the five subjects of: Mathematics, Kiswahili, English, Skills of Work and Science.

Hands on computing the results 

Ms Marcelina Julieth and the Village Executive officer reviewing results

Supervising the pupils to do all the subjects and marking all 388 papers per subject is a tedious job for teachers. This activity took two full days. After marking all the papers, the results were given to 2 teachers undertaking ICT training at the Songambele Maarifa centre. According to Dorosela Mabale, Happy Matandala and the Ward Education Officer Marcelina Raphael who are ICT trainees, computing the results using Excel package they had learned will make it easier to present all the school results. With the assistance of Maarifa Centre Field Officer and ICT trainer, the three educationists used the computers at Maarifa Centre to compute the total and average marks for every pupil per school. They compiled the results for all the schools and generated a list arranged according to the performance of the pupils starting with the highest mark to the lowest. Using excel their work was very much simplified as after two  hours overall results were out where by the Best Performer for every school was known as well as  Ward Best Performers.

Previous this kind of job was done for two or more days as they were using calculators to have totals and average mark for every pupil then had to arrange them manually for every school to have best performer, and getting the best pupil per Ward.

Ms Marcelina Raphael testifies her new experience

Ms. Marcelina Raphael is the ward Education Officer and shared her experience in Kiswahili as follows:

Kawaida kazi kama hii huwa tunaifanya kwa siku mbili mpaka tatu wakati mwingine na hii  husababishwa na vitendea kazi tulivyokuwa tunatumia yaani vikokotozi vya kawaida. Tunashukuru sana kuwa hiki kituo cha Maarifa centre maana kwa mara ya kwanza matokeo yametoka baada ya masaa mawili tangu walimu walipomaliza  kusahihisha mitihani. Kwa kushirikiana na watendaji wa kituo na walimu ambao ni wanafunzi wa darasa la computer tumeweza kuingiza matokeo ya wanafunzi wote, kwa kutumia program ya excel tumetafuta jumla na wastani wa kila mwanfunzi na kupanga matokeo kwa shule na baadae kwa kata nzima, kazi hii imefanyika kwa muda wa masaa mawili tu kitu ambacho hatukuwahi kufikiri kama kinaweza kuwezekana. Tunashukuru sana kituo cha Maarifa Songambele, uongozi wote wa kituo pamoja na  wadau wote waliofanikisha kuwepo kwa kituo hiki chenye manufaa makubwa kwa jamii yetu.

In the past this kind of work was quite hectic and usually took us two or more days. This is due to the equipments used which are normal calculators. We are grateful to have this Centre in our community as for the first time Examination results were out only after two hours following the marking of the papers by the teachers. With our close cooperation with Maarifa centre staff together with Teachers who are ICT trainees at the Centre, we managed to compute all pupils’ results and by using Excel Program we were able to find totals and average mark of every pupil and lastly we arranged according to performance of the pupils per school and per Ward. This work took us two hours only something which we never thought before that could happen.  We thank the Centre Management and all stakeholders who in one way or another manage to run the centre.