The last quarter of the year is a typically busy time at here at St Jude鈥檚! It is full of graduations and special events to celebrate important days as part of our busy academic calendar. This year was no exception as St Jude鈥檚 held three different ceremonies, and a St Jude鈥檚 Day all in five weeks.
鈥淚t was a memorable experience!鈥� says Luciana a recent Form 4 graduate at St Jude鈥檚 Girls鈥� Secondary School. 鈥淢y favourite part was the Form 4 Farewell, it was lovely to see all the different guests that had come to celebrate with us,鈥� she adds happily.
In October, Luciana and 113 other students at St Jude鈥檚 Girls鈥� Secondary School celebrated the end of their O Level studies with great excitement and pride.
In Tanzania, the first four years of secondary school are called Ordinary Level (O Level) studies; from Form 1 to Form 4. Completing O Level education is a crucial step in the Tanzanian Education System. The day is typically marked by a ceremony, where parents, students and the whole school celebrate the graduating class and mark the achievement!
鈥淐ompleting Form 4 is an important step because I can now specialise in subjects of my interests,鈥� says Luciana. 鈥淎lso, not everyone makes it this far in their education. That鈥檚 why it means a lot,鈥� she adds.
According to data from the World Bank, only 34% of secondary school girls in Tanzania complete Form 4 education. Factors such as extreme poverty, poor infrastructure, and cultural influences all play a role in the high dropout rates among female students. On the other hand, 100% of students at St Jude鈥檚 Girls鈥� Secondary School complete Form 4 with a 100% pass rate.
鈥淕raduating Form 4 at St Jude鈥檚 gives me a special feeling,鈥� reflects Luciana, who joined St Jude鈥檚 from a government school four years ago. 鈥淭he resources and support from the school gave me a major boost in my studies and career aspirations. I was able to explore my passion in art and sport, not just the academics,鈥� she adds.
Luciana graduates Form 4 as an aspiring artist, a talented netball player, and equipped with a vast variety of skills in typing, public speaking and creativity. She looks forward to coming back in January to participate in the Special Program鈥檚 Post Form 4 Holiday Program, where students have training in leadership, emotional intelligence, typing and ESL. She plans to spend the rest of her time at home during the break honing her artistic skills as well as assisting her siblings with their schoolwork before continuing with her Advanced Level (A Level) studies in July 2024.
Just two weeks apart, St Jude鈥檚 held another Form 4 Celebration and Awards Day, this time at the Smith Campus in Usa River, about an hour away from the girls鈥� school in Moshono. Smartly dressed in their crisp uniforms and sporting a special graduating badge, the boys, celebrated their achievement with flair, singing and dancing their way to their next stage of education!
鈥淚t feels like a dream come true,鈥� says Ramadhani, a recent Form 4 graduate at St Jude鈥檚 Secondary School. 鈥淚 joined St Jude鈥檚 as a Standard 1 student more than 10 years ago. Every day since then has been a step closer to this magnificent day,鈥� he adds enthusiastically.
During his time at St Jude鈥檚, Ramadhani was elected Head Boy twice, won medals in public speaking competitions, and developed his computer skills. He graduates from St Jude鈥檚 as a confident young man with leadership, public speaking, and problem-solving skills, and life-long friendships.
Two celebrations just weren鈥檛 enough! St Jude鈥檚 also held its second Beyond St Jude鈥檚 Recognition Ceremony. A special event that brings together St Jude鈥檚 alumni who are graduating tertiary studies with various degrees, locally and internationally.
鈥淭he best part of the ceremony was being able to mark this moment and celebrate my achievement with family and friends,鈥� says Saumu, a Beyond St Jude鈥檚 (BSJ) university graduate. 鈥淚t was also fun seeing my high school classmates again after three years! Was great catching up and reminiscing about our time at St Jude's,鈥� she adds emphatically.
Saumu joined St Jude鈥檚 as a Standard 1 student in 2006 and proceeded to spend the next 17 years at the school 鈥� 13 years as a student, one year as a volunteer, and three years as a BSJ Tertiary scholar.
Saumu now proudly holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in accounting and finance and wants to use her skills to help other children from disadvantaged backgrounds reach their full potential.
Your support of St Jude鈥檚 helps our students graduate with a wealth of knowledge, practical skills, and passion to give back to their community. Sponsor today.
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