Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) have kicked off today July 18 and are expected to run until July 20, according to the National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA). 

A total of 229,859 students are expected to sit for PLE for the academic year 2021-2022.

Speaking to The New Times, Director-General of NESA, Bernard Bahati, said that everything is prepared and ready for the national exams to be conducted well till completion.

He also highlighted digitalised systems that have been introduced in the examination process.

"We digitalised the process of examination starting from the registration, where the students registered online, and during the examination, attendance will be online as well among others,” he said.

So far, online registration went well and conducting the attendance digitally was successful too, as it was used in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)  practical exams, Bahati explained, adding that they believe it is going to be successful in all these coming exams too.

The National Examinations in general will go on until August 5, and according to numbers from (NESA), 127,469 candidates will sit for O-level and 46,735 candidates for A-Level.

Candidates from TVET are 21,338 and those from Teachers' Training College (TTC) are 2,906.