Education in Tanzania

In Tanzania, students who are least seven years old attend primary school until they complete Standard 7. This is roughly equivalent to elementary school and part of middle school in the United States. It is rare for students to attend preschool or kindergarten, since these level of education is not usually available. The vast majority of students attend government schools. There is no tuition charged in government schools.

Students who pass a national examination given after completing Standard 7 have the opportunity to go to a government secondary school. Others must find a place in one of the many private secondary schools. Tuition is free at government schools; students must pay for their schooling at private schools. Many students cannot afford the tuition at private schools, and cannot complete their education.

In secondary school students complete four years of O-level education (Forms I-IV). After passing another set of national exams students may go on to A-level studies (Forms V-VI). Those who successfully complete A-level studies and pass another national exam may attend university.

This is the entrance to Kolila Secondary School in Old Moshi. Kolila is under the authority of the Northern Diocese of the Kanisa la Kiinjili la Kilutheri Tanzania (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania). My wife was teaching Bookeeping and Commerce to O-level students there when I first arrived in 1999.

This is the courtyard of Kolila. The O-level classrooms surround the courtyard; A-level classrooms are behind the main building.

This is Moringe-Sokoine Secondary School in Monduli. Moringe-Sokoine is a private school under the authority of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania Arusha Diocese.

Regardless of whether students attend public or private schools, Tanzanian students must wear school uniforms. Students and their families must pay for these uniforms.

Bendera ya Tanzania

Each of the colors found on the bendera (flag) of Tanzania shown above have a special meaning. The blue represents the lakes, rivers, and Indian Ocean. The green represents the natural beauty and vegetation of the land. The gold stripes represent the riches of Tanzania, and the black center represents the people of Tanzania. Uhuru na umoja (Unity and Freedom) is the official Tanzanian motto.

Karibuni Tanzania!

The title says, "Welcome to Tanzania!" in Kiswahili. The name of this blog, Haika Ruwa, means, "Thanks to God" in Kichagga. Kiswahili (also called Swahili) is the national language of Tanzania, a country in eastern Africa. Kichagga is the tribal language of the Chagga people of the Kilimanjaro region.

Information about Tanzania

Tanzania is located just south of the Equator in eastern Africa. Tanzania has an estimated population of over 36 million people and a land area of 364,900 square miles (as a point of comparison Texas has an estimated population of 26 million and an area of 286,600 square miles).

Map source: worldofmaps.net

Tanzania was originally called Tanganyika when it became independent of British rule in 1961. The islands of Zanzibar and Pemba joined with Tanganyika in 1964 to become Tanzania. Serving as president until 1985, Julius K. Nyerere implemented two decades of "African socialism", called ujamaa. A multiparty system was established in 1992 after a constitutional amendment.

Some 80 percent of Tanzanians farm or fish at subsistence levels. Roughly 15% of all secondary school-age children actually attend school. Dar es Salaam is the administrative capital of Tanzania and the location of most foreign embassies, but Dodoma is the location of Tanzania's parliament. Other major cities in Tanzania are Arusha, Mwanza, Moshi, Mtwara and Mbeya.

Tanzania has many famous national parks and geographic locations. Among these are the Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater, and the highest mountain in Africa Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft.).