The education system in Tanzania
Basic education in Tanzania is based on a 7 - 4 - 2 school system inherited from British colonial rule. It consists of:
7 years of primary school
4 years of lower secondary school
2 years of advanced secondary school
After secondary school, students qualify for 3 and 4-year college or university programs
The national language in Tanzania is Swahili, but English is also an official language. In primary school, kids learn in both languages but in secondary school, they are taught an English-only curriculum; college and university programs are also taught in English.
7 years of primary school
4 years of lower secondary school
2 years of advanced secondary school
After secondary school, students qualify for 3 and 4-year college or university programs
The national language in Tanzania is Swahili, but English is also an official language. In primary school, kids learn in both languages but in secondary school, they are taught an English-only curriculum; college and university programs are also taught in English.
Our sponsored students:
Since 2011, we have successfully sponsored 15 students from nursery school through secondary school graduation; the youngest students were only 3 or 4 years old when we started and they are heading off to college this year! Our oldest students, Wema and Pascal, are almost university graduates; a luxury that only 1% of the Tanzanian population enjoys. Below are short student bios with information about their current schooling stages.
Brenda College Brenda will be starting college in the fall, doing an engineering diploma in Dar Es Salaam. She's always loved math and is excited about this new chapter in her education. Brenda has a magnetic personality and a sharp mind; she is competitive by nature and never backs down from a challenge, so we're excited to see where college takes her and all the new things she'll learn and take on. |
Glory College Glory will be starting college in the fall, where she hopes to begin her medical career with a medical diploma; one of the prerequisites for attending medical school in Tanzania. Glory is studious, patient and kind. She's wanted to be a doctor for many years and her character strengths will make her a wonderful, caring doctor. She loves doing Sudoku and word-search puzzles when taking study breaks and when she's at home during holidays, you'll find her helping out at her parents’ corner shop. |
Wema University Wema is the oldest of our students and will be finishing university in 2026. She is empathetic and a natural leader; she loves working with people and her favorite subject in school was always English. She is studying port and transportation management with the goal of getting a job in one of Tanzania's biggest industries. When she isn’t studying, she likes to read magazines, study with friends, and is the first to help us organize activities for the younger Waka students when she is home for holidays. |
Amadeus A-level secondary Amadeus loves science; he is an excellent problem solver and loves to take on a project. One of his hobbies is restoring old radios to working order and he's been tinkering with things to fix since he was small. Not surprisingly, he wants to be a civil engineer and will be applying to university when he graduates High School next year. When he's not studying, you'll find him watching movies, playing or watching soccer, and listening to the latest Tanzanian and American hip hop tunes. |
Alfonce A-Level Secondary Alfonce's nickname is 'Fani', and he is in his last year of advanced high school. After graduating next year, he'll be applying to university where he hopes to study engineering. Fani enjoys science and he's had a love of art and drawing since he was small so, in his spare time, you’ll find him sketching cars or landscapes. Fani is patient and hard-working, skills that will come in handy as he moves through his life and career in engineering. |
Living A-level Secondary Living is starting his first year of advanced secondary, focusing on geography and history. He is energetic and adventurous with an aptitude for math and science. Last year, he was named class leader and we hope those leadership skills are further honed as he starts this new stage of High School. When he's not studying, you'll find him playing soccer, swimming in the river, or taking part in any kind of athletic pursuit- he loves sports and in another life he would have been a professional athlete! |
Pascal College Pascal has faced many challenges in school and is our shining star of dedication; he is the best example of how hard work, patience, and mentoring can help any student succeed in school and transform their life through education. After overcoming countless obstacles, he is currently in college where he is studying to be a pharmaceutical technician, and is expected to graduate in 2027. His love of chemistry led him to pharmacy studies, where he could: "help people in the villages understand when they should take medicines and how to use them correctly." |
Frank University A true academic star, Frank is naturally gifted in all things academics, and particularly in math and science. In High School, he loved experimenting in the lab and is fascinated by the laws of physics. He is doing a medical management degree at university and when he graduates in 2027, he hopes to work in hospital administration. Frank is one of the most level-headed, responsible people you'll meet and any hospital will be lucky to have his skills, character, and work ethic. |
Ivone College Dedicated, responsible, and empathetic, Ivone is driven to care for others. She grew up wanting to be a nun because the schools and orphanages she visited were run by the diocese and she's wanted to help orphaned children. More recently, she developed an interest in business and is currently in college studying project management and community development. After graduating, she hopes to get a job working for a local NGO, where we know she'll pass on the gift of education and empathy to many others! |
Regina secondary school Regina is a dedicated and curious student, and thrives in the independence that boarding school gives her. She has been working hard in secondary school and her favorite subject is English. In her free time at school, she participates in the gardening club and likes quieter activities; you'll find her reading a book while watching her friends bike and play soccer. |
Jenny secondary School Jenny loves school and is a fast learner; she has a contagious smile and upbeat personality. She is the youngest of the Waka Waka students and is a year behind Regina in secondary school. She isn't sure what she wants to do when she grows up (but she's got plenty of time to figure it out)... we've always thought she should be a world-traveling DJ, because nothing that makes her light up more than listening to music! |
Peter Secondary School Peter is completing his last year of lower secondary school. He's analytical and patient, and has loved math since he was young. Peter's love of airplanes earned him the nickname 'Pilot Peter,' and you'll often find him watching planes fly over Mt. Kilimanjaro. He's unsure of what he wants to do after secondary school but we're hope whatever it is, he'll put his analytical mind to good use. |
Three of our students completed their sponsorships with The Waka Waka Project after graduating high school:
Francis Secondary School Francis completed secondary school in 2018. He did not continue any further in school but getting secondary education qualifications was a big deal for him and his family, when only around 30% of children in Tanzania get to do so. Like all of our students, Francis is the first generation in his family to complete this level of schooling and has gone on to help his family financially with the skills he obtained in school. |
Erik Secondary School Erik also completed secondary school in 2018. He did not continue further in his schooling but getting a secondary education certificate was a big deal for him and his family, when only around 30% of children in Tanzania get this qualification. Like many of our students, Erik was the first in his family to complete this level of schooling and has gone on to help his family financially with the skills he obtained in school. |
Severina Secondary School Seve completed secondary school in 2023 and enrolled in university last year with our support. However, she has since continued her studies without our financial assistance and is no longer part of our student cohort. Seve is smart and hard-working and we hope she can finish her university degree, even if its not with our sponsorship. We all worked really hard to help her get to where she is, with more than 12 years of schooling, mentoring, personal, and sponsorship support! |
