Loud cheers, claps and laughs can be heard in the hall as the Form 6 graduating Class of 2021 perform on stage one last time. This year, mini传媒 is celebrating 139 graduates; 75 girls and 64 boys.
In Tanzania, the final two years of secondary school are called Advanced Level (A Level); Form 5 and 6. These Form 6 graduates have now completed their A Level studies and are ready to embrace the next stage of their academic journey鈥� higher education!
Mr Sabas, Headmaster at Smith Campus, begins his speech 鈥淭his is our seventh class to graduate from Form 6 since 2015, and I am happy to see them reach this milestone.鈥�
鈥淭oday we are congratulating the students for the time spent in school, giving them hope and encouraging them on their journey that they are about to take soon after they graduate secondary school.鈥�
He adds, 鈥淲e've raised good boys and girls. Before they did their final exams, we prepared them well and I am confident in their abilities. My hope is for each one of them to get excellent results.鈥�
William is one of 64 boys completing his A Level studies. William joined St Jude鈥檚 in 2018 when he was in Form 5; studying physics, chemistry and biology.
鈥淏efore St Jude鈥檚, I was in a government school. The environment and academics there were completely different. If it wasn鈥檛 for St Jude鈥檚 I don鈥檛 think I would鈥檝e reached my goal,鈥� William explains.
"I can鈥檛 explain my happiness today. I believe I鈥檝e made my father and my whole family very happy,鈥� he says with a smile.
Tanzania has 4942 O Level secondary schools compared to a mere 762 A Level secondary schools. Only 30% of children in the country are enrolled in secondary education, and about 60,000 students drop out of O Level secondary schools each year, 50% of them girls.
鈥淔emale students struggle a lot to complete school,鈥� says Janet, Form 6 graduate.
Janet joined St Jude鈥檚 in Standard 1 in 2009. Starting her early education in a government school, she explains the difficulties female students face in achieving their goals, 鈥淕irls like myself don鈥檛 get to reach this level in a government school because of lack of resources and also because of the societies we come from.鈥�
鈥淪ome of my friends dropped out of school at the end of primary and O Level. They are just at home either married, divorced or some with children. I honestly feel like I鈥檓 the lucky one to be able to get this opportunity to continue with my studies.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to pursuing a marketing degree in university but for now, I鈥檓 excited to start my Community Service Year in the Beyond St Jude鈥檚 Program, where I鈥檒l be teaching primary students in a government school,鈥� Janet adds.
The Community Service Year (CSY) is part of the Beyond St Jude鈥檚 Program for Form 6 graduates. Graduates volunteer in their first year out of school by teaching in local government schools or in non-teaching placements throughout St Jude鈥檚 campuses to give back in appreciation for the free education they received at St Jude鈥檚.
Ready to start her CSY program is Shamsia, who鈥檒l be joining St Jude鈥檚 Marketing team.
鈥淚 feel so happy today and I鈥檓 proud to have completed Form 6,鈥� Shamsia says with excitement.
鈥淛oining the Marketing team at St Jude鈥檚 feels great because this field has always been my passion. I鈥檓 truly looking forward to learning skills that come with this field before I go off to pursue my degree in marketing,鈥� she adds.
Upon successful completion of their CSY, volunteers are eligible to apply for BSJ tertiary scholarship, enabling them pursue their first higher education qualification specific to their field of interest.
A big congratulations to all the Form 6 graduates for completing this stage of their academic journey. These graduates are changing the status quo, writing their own stories and paving the way to a brighter future for themselves and their families.
With your support, poor, bright students like William, Janet and Shamsia, can complete secondary school and help themselves and their families take steps towards a future of empowerment. Sponsor an academic scholarship today!
In a world where we in Australia take so much for granted. Jemma and her team at St Jude's turn dreams' into real life-changing experiences. The students of St Jude's are an example to us all that one person's dream can change the lives of so many for the better. God Bless all the team at St Jude's for the wonderful work you do.