Tanzanian Education System

Since I’ll be working with the Sakina Scholars program more closely over the next couple weeks, it may be interesting for you to understand the education system here:

The structure of the Tanzanian education system consists of three levels of education:
• First Level: First level education consists of 7 years of primary school (elementary school). This level may sometimes also consist of one or two years of pre-primary school (pre-school).
• Second Level: Second level education, or secondary school consists of 4 years of junior secondary school (ordinary level school Form I-Form IV) and 2 years of senior secondary school (advanced level school Form V-Form VI).
• Third Level: Third level education consists of education and programs offered by separate, higher education institutions. Students complete at least 3 years of tertiary education (university).

The Tanzanian educational system includes a series of exams, the first taken in Form IV. The Certificate of Secondary Education Exam or the Ordinary Level (O-level) exams are held in November; the results are released in March of the following year. Students are tested in nine different subjects. The Sakina scholars take 12 subjects and choose which 9 they want to take. The subjects they take are:
• English
• Kiswahili
• History
• Geography
• Civics
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Commerce
• Book Keeping
• Economics

The Certificate of Secondary Education is awarded in four divisions to candidates who fulfill the state requirements.
• Division One: awarded to candidates who (1) pass in at least seven subjects, which must include at least one subject in civics, Kiswahili, foreign languages, social sciences or technology, mathematics, natural sciences, commercial studies or home economics, (2) pass with grades of A- C in at least four subjects and, (3) reach a collective score of no more than 17 points in the candidate's seven best subjects.
• Division Two: awarded to candidates who (1) pass in at least seven subjects, which must include at least one subject as listed above, (2) pass with grades of A-C in at least four subjects and, (3) reach a collective score of no more than 21 points in the best seven subjects.
• Division Three and Division Four: descending from the above standards.

Candidates are eligible to enter the fifth year of secondary school if they pass in at least five subjects with grades of A-C on the O-Level exams. After the final year of secondary school - the thirteenth year - students can take the Advanced Certificate Examination (A-level) exams in nine subjects, including General Studies, which is recognized all over the world. The A-Levels are taken in May, and results come out in October, also awarded in four divisions. Division 1 and some Division 2 students are eligible for loans and government scholarships to go to university, but they are very competitive.

Word of the Day:
Chakula cha mchana - lunch