Chemistry Syllabus For Secondary Education Form I – IV

This syllabus is a revised version prepared to replace the 1997 syllabus, which has been phased out. The revision process focused on a paradigm change from a content-based to a competency-based curriculum. Moreover, the revision was inevitable because the 1997 syllabus did not sufficiently consider the current social, cultural, global, technological, and subject biases and cross-cutting issues, particularly in Tanzanian Society.

The revision also considers the requirements for the Secondary Education Development Plan (SEDP). This syllabus was introduced for implementation in January 2007.

• Aims and Objectives of Education in Tanzania

The general aims and objectives of education in Tanzania are to:

1. guide and promote the development and improvement of the personalities of the citizens of Tanzania, their human resources, and effective utilization of those resources in bringing about individual and national development;
2. promote the acquisition and appreciation of the culture, customs, and traditions of the peoples of Tanzania;
3. promote the acquisition and appropriate use of literacy, social, scientific, vocational, technological, professional, and other forms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes for the development and improvement of the condition of man and society;
4. develop and promote self-confidence and an inquiring mind, understanding and respect for human dignity and human rights, and readiness to work hard for personal self-advancement and national development;
5. promote and expand the scope of acquisition, improvement, and upgrading of mental, practical, productive,e and other skills needed to meet the changing needs of industry and the economy;
6. enable every citizen to understand the fundamentals of the National Constitution as well as the enshrined human and civic rights, obligations, and responsibilities;
7. promote love and respect for work, self, and wage employment, and improved performance in the production and service sectors;
8. couples of national ethics and integrity, national and international cooperation, peace, and justice through the study, understanding, and adherence to provisions of the national constitution and other international bare charters.
9. enable a rational use, management, and conservation of the

• Aims and Objectives of Secondary Education

In Tanzania, secondary education refers to post-primary formal education offered to learners who successfully complete seven years of primary education and have met the requisite entry qualifications.

The aims and objectives of secondary education are to:

1. Consolidate and broaden the scope of baseline ideas, knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired and developed at the primary education level;
2. enhance further development and appreciation of national unity, identity and ethic, personal integrity, respect for and readiness to work, human rights, cultural and moral values, customs, traditions, and civic responsibilities and obligations;
3. promote the development of competency in linguistic ability and effective use of communication skills in Kiswahili and at least one foreign language;
4. provide opportunities for the acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding in prescribed or selected fields of study;
5. prepare students for tertiary and higher education, vocational, technical and professional training;
6. inculcate a sense and ability for self-study, self-confidence and self-advancement in new frontiers of science and technology, academic and occupational knowledge and skills;
7. prepare the students to join the world of

• General Subject Competences

By the end of the four-year course, the student should have the ability to:

1. develop knowledge in Chemistry by doing various activities and experiments;
2. apply chemical symbols, formulae, and equations to communicate in Chemistry;
3. apply Chemistry knowledge skills and principles to solve daily life problems;
4. using science and technological skills to conserve and make sustainable use of the environment.

• General Subject Objectives

By the end of the four-year course, the student should be able to:

1. design and perform experiments;
2. understand symbols, formulae, and equations to communicate in Chemistry;
3. acquire Chemistry skills, knowledge, and principles to solve daily life problems;
4. Appreciate the application of scientific principles and knowledge in the exploitation of natural resources with the conservation of the environment.

• Structure and Organization of the Syllabus

This chemistry syllabus has a slightly different structure from that of 1997. The following changes were added for improvement:

1. General competencies for the whole
2. Competences for each level, e., Form One to Form Four.
3. Suggested areas for
4. Number of periods per sub-

• Class Level Objectives

For each competence intended to be achieved, one or more objectives have been stated to achieve it. The general objectives for Form One to Form Four are stated in general terms to indicate the scope of content to be covered within each level.

• Class Level Competences

Competencies are skills, knowledge, and attitudes attained by the learner during the learning process. Competences have been stated for each class/level of the Chemistry course. The class-level objectives are derived from the class-level competencies.

• Topics

The topics have been derived from the class-level competencies and objectives. Most topics in the 1997 Chemistry syllabus have been retained. Important content from Cross-cutting Issues (CCI) has been integrated. Topics have been rearranged to attain a logical order, from the simple to difficult ones. Both block and spiral arrangements of topics have been used.

• Sub – Topics

Topics have been divided into subtopics. Each subtopic comprises a portion of the topic’s content. The subtopics have also been arranged to attain a logical order and facilitate learning.

• Specific Objectives

Each subtopic has one or more specific objectives. These objectives are the expected outcomes in classroom instruction and reflect attaining competencies within the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains.

• Teaching and Learning Strategies

The column on teaching and learning strategies indicates what the teacher and students are expected to do in the teaching and learning process. Students are encouraged to work in small groups for maximum participatory and cooperative learning. The teacher shall assume the role of a facilitator to promote, guide, and help students’ learning activities. The whole teaching and learning process should be participatory and interactive, where the student learns through a series of logical activities.

These suggested teaching and learning (T/L) strategies are not exhaustive. The teacher and students may use other T/L strategies that suit the T/L environment and the available T/L resources to teach a particular topic.

• Teaching and Learning Resources

In the teaching of Chemistry, a variety of teaching–learning resources will be needed, both in quality and quantity. If commercial T/L resources are not available, the teacher should work with students to collect or improvise alternative resources available in their environment.

• Assessment

For every specific instructional objective, there is/are some suggested questions or areas for assessment. Formative and summative assessments should be geared towards mastering all the competencies and skills developed within the course.

• Number of Periods

The number of periods is an estimated time to be used to teach a given topic/subtopic. Each period is 40 minutes. The number of periods has been taken into account the time needed to adequately cover the subtopic. Some topics need more time than others, depending on their nature and weight. The teacher is advised to make maximum use of the time allocated in classroom instruction. Lost instructional time should always be compensated for.

DECLARATION

Ordinary-level secondary education is a four-year course designed to prepare students for advanced or other tertiary education. A student will be recognized as a Form Four graduate when he/she completes and passes secondary education examinations conducted by the National Examination Council of Tanzania.

This document is declared the Syllabus of Chemistry subject for ordinary secondary education courses.

Commissioner for Education

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Government City,

Mtumba Block, Afya Street,

P.O. Box 10,

40479 Dodoma.

Tel:                  + 255 222 110150

Fax:                 + 255 222 113271

Email:              info@moe.go.tz

Website:          www.moe.go.tz

FORM ONE

CLASS LEVEL COMPETENCIES

Students should have the ability to:

1. use Chemistry skills and knowledge in daily life;
2. work safely in a Chemistry laboratory;
3. design and carrying out simple Chemistry experiments;
4. apply the Scientific Procedure to carry out investigations in Chemistry;
5. use various Chemistry apparatuses properly to perform different activities and experiments;
6. apply different methods to separate mixtures into pure components and
7. deal with nature and properties of

CLASS LEVEL OBJECTIVES

By the end of Form One Chemistry Course, the student should be able to:

1. explain the importance of Chemistry in daily life;
2. carry out Chemistry activities safely and efficiently;
3. use various laboratory apparatuses;
4. explain the nature and properties of matter;
5. separate various mixtures using a variety of methods;
6. differentiate physical from chemical changes of matter, and
7. use scientific procedures in carrying out

FORM TWO

CLASS LEVEL COMPETENCIES

Students should have the ability to:

1. prepare and test properties of simple gases in the laboratory;
2. treat and purify water with environmental consideration;
3. use fuels efficiently and sustainability with environmental consideration; and
4. apply periodicity to explain the characteristics of

CLASS LEVEL OBJECTIVES

By the end of the Form Two course, the student should be able to:

1. explain the preparation and properties of simple gases;
2. treat, purify, and use water while conserving the
3. recognize the importance of efficiency and sustainability in using fuels;
4. promote the use of fuels with environmental consideration; and
5. explain the structure of an atom and periodic

FORM THREE

CLASS LEVEL COMPETENCIES

Students should have the ability to:

1. apply Chemistry principles in understanding industrial processes;
2. use technological skills in the  extraction of metals and conservation of the environment;
3. solve problems of hardness of water in daily life;
4. use the concept of volumetric analysis in solving daily life problems and
5. use electrolysis to solve daily life

CLASS LEVEL OBJECTIVES

By the end of the form three Chemistry course, the student should be able to:

1. promote knowledge of the hardness of water;
2. establish accurate quantities of the reacting substances in various chemical reactions;
3. understand the effects of electricity on chemical substances;
4. recognize appropriate methods of extraction of metals;
5. realize the consequences of environmental destruction, and
6. realize Chemistry principles in industrial

FORM FOUR

CLASS LEVEL COMPETENCIES

Students should have the ability to:

1. apply appropriate skills to conserve the environment;
2. investigate the properties of organic compounds and their applications in daily life;
3. determine the nature and properties of soil, and
4. analyze the effects of pollution and

CLASS LEVEL OBJECTIVES

By the end of Form Four-course, the student should be able to:

1. analyze critically the properties of matter and their environmental effects;
2. show understanding of the sources of organic compounds, their properties, and their uses in daily life;
3. use scientific skills to investigate the nature and properties of soil;
4. use knowledge on conservation of soil for maximum utility; and
5. understand the effects of pollution and their remedial

Complete CHEMISTRY SYLLABUS in PDF Format

CHEMISTRY SYLLABUS FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION FORM I – IV