The Entrepreneurial Spirit of Image Secondary School

STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) are so important for all students in our changing world. This is just as important in the Iringa Diocese schools as it is in St. Paul.

Many of you have visited Image Secondary School during your visit to Tanzania. It’s an amazing place where excellent teachers make learning fun and it’s only a short drive from Iringa town. Now there’s something else to celebrate at Image: Image is the first DIRA school to have A Level (Forms V-VI) science!

Image accepted 34 Form V students after the term started and they are happy to admit them. They have also accepted many students into the STEM studies that the government of Tanzania selected to study liberal arts subjects, even though the students specified science. In order to accommodate all of these students, Image raised funds for this project through their agricultural projects. Dan McIntyre, one of the members of the BKB Scholarship and Education Working Group, received photos and this report from Mr. Tawala, one of the science teachers at Image:

“Here in Image we are doing great, we have managed to rehabilitate two laboratory rooms, with gas and water system they are looking very good," Mr. Tawala wrote. "We have started a pig project; we are also growing food for students in Morogoro. We have also bought an electrical milling machine for milling students’ food.” The amazing thing is that all of this has been done in the context of a worldwide pandemic! Mr. Tawala added, “We thank God also that despite challenges of COVID-19 we are still able to pay teachers salary up to now, but other private schools are suffering.”

Like so many diocese schools in Tanzania, Image also faces some challenges such as current chemistry and biology textbooks for these advanced students, as well as for equipment for the science labs. They are planning to provide those things from next year’s budget.

Those of us in St. Paul are so gratified that schools like Image have taken on the challenge to feed the students in mind and body. There are so many creative solutions that those of us who live on the other side of the planet couldn’t even imagine. This is just one way that we work together in partnership. Mr. Tawala told Dan McIntyre that he thanks the people of St. Paul for continuing to help them reach their intention of making Image the best science school in the region!

The Rev. Lynda Thompson, Chair
BKB Scholarship & Education Working Group