Form four literature in English necta examination format
NECTA EXAMINATION FORMAT
024 LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
(For Both School and Private Candidates)
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This examination format is a revised
version of the 2008 format issued by
the National Examinations Council of
Tanzania (NECTA). In this revision,
emphasis has been placed on
competence-based assessment featuring
higher order skills. However, there are no
changes in the examination
content.
2.0 GENERAL OBJECTIVES
The examination will assess the extent to
which the candidate can:
2.1 use the knowledge of theories of literature,
literary genres, form and
content in plays, novels, short stories
and poetry;
2.2 produce continuous narratives,
arguments or pieces of descriptive or
informative writing e.g., of a character,
plot, a scene, message, or an
event;
2.3 analyse critically different issues of
literature that are related to
everyday life;
2.4 adopt what he or she has learnt in the
subject to improve his or her
language competence and to further his or
her life and education.
3.0 GENERAL COMPETENCES
The examination will assess the ability of
candidates to:
3.1 recall the meaning of literature as an
artistic expression of the
people’s culture;
3.2 demonstrate knowledge of style in
writing;
3.3 differentiate between form and content
in novels, short stories, plays
and poetry;
3.4 define literary terms and exemplify
literary genres;
3.5 describe the roles of characters in
plays, novels and short stories and
relate their behaviour and actions to
everyday life; and
3.6 differentiate poetry
from prose and plays.
4.0 EXAMINATION RUBRIC
The examination will consist of one (1)
paper of three (3) hours. There will
be three sections A, B and C with a total
of ten (10) questions. Candidates
will be required to answer a total of nine
(09) questions which will weigh
100 marks.
Section A will
comprise two (2) questions. Question one (1) will comprise
10 multiple-choice items. Each item will
carry one (1) mark. Question two
(2) will comprise 5
matching items. Each item will carry one (1) mark. The
candidates will be required to attempt all
the questions in this section. The
section will carry a total of 15 marks.
Section B will
consist of four (4) short answer questions. Each question
will weigh ten (10) marks.
Candidates will be required to attempt all the
questions. This section will weigh 40 marks.
Section C will
consist of four (4) essay-type questions. Each item will
weigh 15 marks. Candidates will be
required to attempt three (3)
questions. Of these, two (2) will
be compulsory and one (1) will be chosen
from the two optional questions. This
section will weigh 45 marks.
5.0 EXAMINATION CONTENT
5.1 Theories of Literature
5.2 Form and content in a literary work
5.3 Plays (role of characters, audience,
message, language and actions
from the selected plays). The list of
texts for ‘Plays’ for reference
will be:
The Lion and the Jewel -
Soyinka, W.
The Trials of Brother Jero - Soyinka,
W.
The Dilemma of a Ghost - Aidoo,
A.A.
The Government Inspector - Gogol,
N.
5.4 Novels and short stories—Form and content,
characters and5.4 Novels and short stories—Form and content, characters and
their role in
educating the reader.
60
The list of ‘Novels’ and ‘Short Stories’
under this section will be:
A Walk in the Night and Other Stories - La
Guma, A.
Houseboy -
Oyono, F.
The Old Man and the Medal - Oyono,
F.
The Concubine -
Amadi, E.
5.5 Poetry—Form and Content in Poetry
The reference for Poetry will be ‘Selected
Poems’ compiled by the
Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) and
‘Growing up with Poetry’
edited by David Rubadiri.
Note: Apart from the
list of readings mentioned, those texts subsequently approved
by the Ministry of
Education, Science and Technology will be used.
