Dar es Salaam – The National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) on Saturday, January 31, 2026, announced the results of the 2025 Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (CSEE), revealing a national pass rate of 94.98 per cent.
This marks a steady improvement for the third consecutive year, up from 92.37 per cent in 2024 and 89.36 per cent in 2023.
Out of the 555,606 candidates who sat for the examinations in November and December 2025, a total of 526,620 achieved a pass, which includes Divisions I, II, III, and IV.
The results were released by NECTA’s Executive Secretary, Dr Said Mohammed, following their approval by the council’s 170th meeting on January 26, 2026.
The quality of passes has also seen a positive trend, with 46.1 per cent of candidates (255,404 students) attaining the top grades of Division I, II, and III.
This is an increase from 43 per cent in 2024 and 37.4 per cent in 2023, representing an 8.7 percentage point improvement in quality over the past two years.
| Year | Overall Pass Rate | Candidates with Division I-III |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 94.98 per cent | 46.1 per cent |
| 2024 | 92.37 per cent | 43.0 per cent |
| 2023 | 89.36 per cent | 37.4 per cent |
However, a closer look at the subject-level performance reveals a more complex picture. While most subjects showed improved pass rates, performance in Basic Mathematics and Biology remains a significant concern.
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The pass rate for Basic Mathematics saw a marginal increase of 1.1 percentage points to 26.45 per cent, a figure that NECTA has described as “below average” for the third year running.
This means that nearly three out of every four Form Four leavers lack the minimum mathematical skills required for further studies and many modern jobs. [2]
Similarly, the pass rate for Biology, a crucial subject for students aspiring to careers in medicine and other life sciences, dropped from 74.15 per cent in 2024 to 65.7 per cent in 2025.
In contrast, other science subjects saw improvements, with Physics showing a significant 10.06 percentage point jump to 84.04 per cent.
In terms of gender, girls have continued to outperform boys in the overall pass rate, with 94.3 per cent of female candidates passing compared to 95.8 per cent of male candidates.
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However, boys have demonstrated a stronger performance in the top divisions, with 52.3 per cent of them achieving Division I, II, or III, compared to 40.58 per cent of girls.
NECTA also announced that it has nullified the results of 79 candidates due to examination malpractices, including cheating and the use of abusive language on answer scripts.
A further 435 candidates who were unable to sit for some or all of their examinations due to health reasons will be allowed to retake them in 2026.
The full results are available on the NECTA website, www.necta.go.tz.
