Tanzania Ordinary Secondary Education Biology Form III-IV Curriculum

This curriculum outlines the Biology subject for Forms III-IV within the Tanzania Ordinary Secondary Education system. It is designed to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of living organisms, their functions, evolution, and interactions with the environment. The curriculum emphasizes developing biological literacy, ICT skills, and 21st-century skills like critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving.

Form III

• Coordination in Plants and Animals: This topic explores coordination mechanisms in plants (tropic responses) and animals (central and peripheral nervous systems, sense organs, endocrine system).
• Excretion in Humans: This section delves into the mechanism of excretion in the human body, including the involved systems, organs, and products. Common complications and disorders of the human excretory system are also examined.
• Regulation in the Human Body: This topic covers the mechanisms of temperature and blood sugar regulation in humans.
• Biological Investigations: Students conduct investigations on the process of nervous coordination (reflex arc and knee jerk) and tropic responses in plants. They also develop and carry out a simple research project in Biology.

Form IV

• Reproduction: This topic covers reproduction in plants (sexual and asexual reproduction, mitosis, meiosis, pollination, fertilization, and seed germination) and humans (gamete formation, fertilization, pregnancy, and childbirth).
• Growth and Development: This section explores the mechanisms of growth in flowering plants and mammals, including mitosis, stages of growth, and influencing factors. Students also investigate epigeal and hypogeal germination in flowering plants.
• Genetics: This topic introduces the basic tenets of genetics, including genetic materials, principles of monohybrid and Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance, and variation. Students apply genetic principles to solve problems.
• Biological Investigations: Students conduct investigations related to reproduction in flowering plants (flower structure and embryo). They also complete and submit a report for the research project started in Form Three.

This syllabus was published in 2023 by the Tanzania Institute of Education.