Why exam results are only part of a learner’s story

October 7, 2026
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Every year, the release of Form Four and Form Six results is one of the most important moments in a Tanzanian family’s calendar. And the headline numbers are encouraging: NECTA reported a 94.98% pass rate for the 2025 Certificate of Secondary Education Examination, and 99.92% of school candidates passed the 2026 Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examination.

Results like these deserve to be celebrated. But at Pathfinder we often ask a second question: what do exams not tell us about a learner?

What exams measure well

National examinations are good at measuring what a learner knows and can recall in a subject, under timed conditions, on a particular day. That knowledge is valuable. It opens doors to further study and it reflects real effort by learners, teachers and parents.

But a pass rate also hides a wide spread of outcomes. Of the candidates who sat the 2025 CSEE, 46.1% achieved Divisions I to III. Behind every division is a young person whose next step depends on much more than one certificate.

What exams cannot see

Exams rarely capture the skills that shape how a young person will actually do in further study, work and life:

Critical thinking: weighing evidence and making sound decisions.
Communication and collaboration: explaining ideas clearly and working well in a team.
Creativity and problem solving: finding new answers to real problems.
Resilience and self-management: coping with pressure, setbacks and change.
Leadership: taking initiative and helping others succeed.

Employers notice. In the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, seven in ten employers said analytical thinking is an essential core skill, and they expect 39% of workers’ core skills to change by 2030.

Skills and grades are not rivals

It is tempting to see life skills as a distraction from exam preparation. The evidence says the opposite. A major review of 213 school-based social and emotional learning programmes, covering more than 270,000 students, found that participants gained 11 percentile points in academic achievement compared with their peers (Durlak et al., 2011). Learners who can manage their emotions, focus and work with others tend to learn more.

Tanzania is already moving in this direction

The 2014 Education and Training Policy (2023 edition), launched by President Samia Suluhu Hassan in February 2025, aims to equip students with the skills needed for an ever-changing job market. Its phased rollout, which began in January 2024, places new emphasis on communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking, and introduces a vocational pathway in secondary school alongside the general academic stream.

The direction is clear. The question for every school and family is how to make it real for each learner.

What schools and families can do

Talk about more than marks. Ask learners what they enjoyed, what they found hard and what they want to try next.
Create chances to practise. Clubs, projects, debates and leadership roles build skills that lessons alone cannot.
Celebrate effort and growth, not only top results.
Connect learning to real life. Show how subjects link to careers, businesses and community challenges.
Look after wellbeing. Learners who feel safe and supported learn better.

The whole learner

Strong exam results matter. They are just one part of a young person’s journey. Pathfinder exists to help schools and families nurture the rest: the leadership, life skills and real-world readiness that help learners thrive far beyond the exam room.

Explore our six programmes or ask for support for a learner in your life.