School Name: Ben Bella Secondary School
Location: Stonetown, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Enrollment: 822 students; 483 female, 339 male; ages: 16-23 years
Principal: Asya Issa
I had the pleasure of sitting with Mr. Is
sa in his office for an interview, after which he gave me a tour of the school grounds and into some of the classrooms. Unfortunately, I was not able to view the library, as this room was locked and the key could not be found.
Resources Needed: The school was most in need of science materials to help with the Practical Exams; they were also lacking internet connectivity for the 5 computers that they currently had, which seems to be a common sentiment in much of the developing world (the high price and lack of government subsidization for school internet services). The computers were donated by the Algerian Embassy a few years back, in partnership with the Tanzania Ministry of Education. Also lacking were books in English, Math, Geography, and Chemistry.
Current Funding: The Government provides textbooks and for teacher salaries, but all other supplies must come from the parents. This includes chalk for the classrooms and any meals for the students.
Goals of the School: Higher education for all of their students was the overall goal of the school. I could not ascertain other goals, as the communication/English barrier was prohibitive of a more in-depth discussion of the matter.
Challenges: The biggest challenge faced by the school was a lack of funding from the Ministry of Education. The Principal stated that they got "No support" from the government in many key areas, and that the students themselves and their parents were forced to pay for the basic running of the school.
Successes: The administration of the school is most proud of the students' performances on the A Level National Exams. The school had a very impressive 98% pass rate in the last academic year according to the Principal. THey have also been very successful in dealing with the discipline of the students though the involvement of parents and community members in the process.
