Mass fainting in Tanzanian exam

[S. S. Phares]

Fainting fits in schools are common in Tanzania
Junior school pupils in Tanzania experienced a mass fainting fit while taking their final year exams, an educational official has told the BBC.

The 20 girls at Ali Hassan Mwinyi School in Tabora started fainting after finishing their first paper.

"I'm not a specialist but I imagine this was a case of mass hysteria that does happen in some of the schools," Midemo Paul Makungu said.

He said it only affected the girls, some of whom took 40 minutes to revive.

"There was chaos, crying, screaming, running after that first paper," Mr Makungu, Tabora's educational officer, told the BBC News website.

More than 140 Standard Seven pupils were taking the national exam at the school in the north of the country.

He said special arrangements were made so that those who had fainted could finish the other two papers they had that day.

"They eventually finished at 11pm," he said.

It is not the first such incident at the school - over the last month there have been several mass fainting fits amongst the girl pupils.

"Normally this happens in girls' secondary schools. It is very common here," Mr Makungu said.

Source: BBC NEWS | World | Africa | Mass fainting in Tanzanian exam


Please forgive my ignorance but Is it true that this is common in Tanzania???

 

[Kuhani]

Please forgive my ignorance but Is it true that this is common in Tanzania???

Never heard of it, let alone seeing such thing. I don't think they know what they are talking about. They call Tabora northern Tanzania, don't give stats about wherever else this's happened. The guy who feeds them this stuff says "it's common here." Here where, Tabora or Tanzania? Then goes on to give his non-medical two cents that ain't worth half a penny. The kicker is when they say these mishaps have been taking place over the last month. Have the kids been taking any finals before this final ? Why else were they fainting over the last month then? Cheesy reporters. BBC lowers the bar when they are covering a Tanzania.

 

[Kibunango]

Niliopokuwa nasoma Lutengano Sec School miaka ile ya themanini, tatizo hili liliwahi kutokea. Wasichana wengi sana walikumbwa na hali hii kiasi ya kuzusha mtafaruku mkubwa sana hapo shuleni.

Wiki moja baaade Mganga mkuu wa wilaya ya Rungwe, alipewa nafasi ya kuongea na wanafunzi juu ya ugonjwa huu ambao Tanzania ni maarufu kama ugonjwa wa kucheka na huwapata wasichana tu. Mbele ya mwalimu mkuu, mganga huyo alitaka kujua hali halisi ya maisha ya wanafunzi hasa social life. Mwishoni alimtaka Mwalimu Mkuu awe anatoa ruhusa kwa wanafunzi kila jumamosi kwenda mjini na kumtaka mwalimu huyo kuwepo na disco hapo shuleni japo la mchana mara moja kwa mwezi na katika kujisomea usiku alisema ni vema wanafunzi wakachanganyikana, ili kuweza kudhibiti hali hiyo kutotokea tena hapo shuleni.

 

[Namtih58]

Junior school pupils in Tanzania experienced a mass fainting fit while taking their final year exams, an educational official has told the BBC.

The 20 girls at Ali Hassan Mwinyi School in Tabora started fainting after finishing their first paper.

"I'm not a specialist but I imagine this was a case of mass hysteria that does happen in some of the schools," Midemo Paul Makungu said.

He said it only affected the girls, some of whom took 40 minutes to revive.

"There was chaos, crying, screaming, running after that first paper," Mr Makungu, Tabora's educational officer, told the BBC News website.

More than 140 Standard Seven pupils were taking the national exam at the school in the north of the country.

He said special arrangements were made so that those who had fainted could finish the other two papers they had that day.

"They eventually finished at 11pm," he said.

It is not the first such incident at the school - over the last month there have been several mass fainting fits amongst the girl pupils.

"Normally this happens in girls' secondary schools. It is very common here," Mr Makungu said.