Brian Sterr – Page 2

2011-09-05

8 TETEA Students Accepted into University!

8 TETEA students have been accepted into various Universities. Seven of them have also been provided with substantial government loans based on their academic performance and financial need, averaging about $1900 each for this coming year, which will cover their tuition as well as various living expenses.

Awetu Hassan, University of Dar es Salaam, Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing
Hamzuruni Mshamu, Mkwawa University College of Education, Bachelor of Arts with Education
James Bashiru, Tumaini University Iringa College, Bachelor of Community Development
Maria Mbena, Institute of Finance Management, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Selemani Bakari, Mzumbe University, Bachelor of Accounting in Public Sector Finance
Shahara Haridi, University of Dodoma, Bachelor of Arts with Education
Twaibu Chipata, Saint Augustine University of Tanzania, Bachelor of Philosophy with Education
Yahaya Saidi, Moshi University College of Co-operative and Business Studies, Bachelor of Human Resources Management

In addition, Karimu Lulanga has been accepted to Mtwara Teachers’ Training College to become a Secondary School teacher.

Congratulations to all of our students and may they continue to put their best foot forward as their studies continue!

2011-09-05

Peace Corps Volunteers Recognized in Tanzanian Newspaper

As former Peace Corps Volunteers in Tanzania, we’re always proud of what the current Peace Corps Volunteers are accomplishing there. Recently the work of two Peace Corps volunteers at a conference on pedagogical practices was highlighted in the Tanzanian newspaper, The Guardian. The volunteers, Aron Walker and Peter McDonough set up an exhibit showing how to equip a science laboratory with locally available materials. In a country where all science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) are mandatory for two years and the laboratory supplies are scarce (not to mention the funds to buy them or to build the physical laboratory building), teaching science effectively can be difficult. Being able to set up a laboratory in a cost-effective manner using local materials would help teachers be able to better capture students’ interest and increase their understanding through practical, hands-on explorations. Way to go Aron and Peter!

Click here for the full article from The Guardian

2011-04-28

Form 6 Results: TETEA Students

TETEA sponsored students have had a fairly successful year in their Form 6 exams. Those students receiving up to 13 points should have a good shot at university acceptance and student loans. The next tier may have access to teacher training colleges and other institutions.

Congratulations especially to Awetu, Shahara, and Selemani, who had particularly good results!

Name	Division	Points
Shahara Haridi	I	9
Ratifu Samli	III	17
Twaibu Chipata	III	14
Sylvester Alexander	III	15
Maria Mbena	III	13
James Bashiru	III	14
Hamzuruni Mshamu	II	12
Yahaya Saidi	II	11
Karimu Lulanga	III	17
Selemani Bakari	I	9
Awetu Hassan	II	10

2011-01-26

Form IV 2010 Results

Form Four results from 2010 have been posted.

Check them here on our site.

This is the first group of students who got a free pass through their Form II national exams on to Form III. The results are about what would be expected. Whereas previously, the Form II national exams weeded out the less serious students, now they continue on until their Form IV exams and fail there.

In those areas where TETEA works, the need for improved education for the rural youth is shown like never before.

Many rural schools had upwards of 70% of their students failing. Prospects look rather dismal in rural areas, with few rural students making the marks they need to go on to Form V or even Teacher’s Training College. The new ward schools (often just one building with maybe one teacher) made up the worst performing. One such school in Mtwara region had 50 out of 52 students receiving F’s in all of their subjects! Clearly, the expansion of physical school buildings through the Secondary Education Development Program still needs to be complemented with teachers, as well as learning and teaching materials. Nationwide only 50.4% of students taking the exam managed to pass (the pass mark being receiving a D or higher in two subjects out of seven core subjects). For more discussion of the nation-wide results, an article in The Citizen has a pretty good breakdown of the performance.

Another article about the exam results states that the percentage of students passing dropped an astounding 22% since 2009

2010-05-14

Library Project Continues

Thanks to our donors, work has begun on our library project. They have been plastering the walls, have put in the door and window frames, and are planning to pour the floor soon. Pictures of the work in progress are up on the Library Project page. Thank you to everyone who gave to make it possible to start this project. We are still nearly $8,000 short of our goal for the project, however. You can help by donating online.