Endanoga Primary School, one of the 28 primary schools supported by So They Can in Tanzania, has achieved outstanding academic results. The school ranked #2 out of 145 primary schools in the Babati District in the 2022 national Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).

81 Standard 7 students (56% girls) took the national exam in October 2022, which examined Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, English Language and Kiswahili, and 68% of the cohort scored an average Grade of A or B.

In the Manyara Region, where the village of Endanoga is located, the pass rate of the PSLE is only 71.9%, significantly lower than the national average of 81.5%. The school’s results attest to the effectiveness of So They Can’s interlinked projects, which, since 2017, have been implemented to strengthen quality learning and teaching. Compared to 2016, improvements include:

• 60% increase in student enrolment. In 2023, 837 students (435 boys: 402 girls) enrolled at the school.
• Gender parity in enrolment has been sustained (48% in 2023).
• 20% increase in students transitioning to Secondary School (98% in 2023).
• 4 students (2 girls: 2 boys) among 29 awarded a competitive Msomi Scholarship by So They Can for academic excellence to support their education costs.

The results also recognise the competent leadership of the Head Teacher, Mr Sulle, and his teaching cohort of 16 teachers. He attributes the success in large part to the support of So They Can’s interventions such as the Teacher Development project which builds teaching competencies, and the preparatory exam to prepare students in the lead up to the PSLE that is sponsored by So They Can.

It was an Endanoga Primary School student, Rachel, that came first out of 600 students who sat the practice exam in the Galapo District in June 2022.  Rachel was thrilled with her result and shared that:

‘My success is thanks to my parents, who send me to school and encourage me to study hard; So They Can who organised the exam for us, sitting a practice exam I saw the results that I can achieve; and my teachers who guided me…’

High-performing students, like Rachel, actively support their peers’ learning. It is a focus of the collaborative learning and teaching environment that Mr Sulle has nurtured at the school. He explains that:

‘Our success is the result of the cooperation that exists between the teachers, and also the students. There is a solidarity between teachers that focuses on co-teaching, and students of varying abilities are mixed in a classroom, rather than building separate high-performing groups. Students work in groups and do exam preparation every week, and the more capable students help their peers. The collaborative environment means that students feel confident to engage with their teachers when they encounter challenges in their learning at school or at home. ‘ 

Endanoga Primary School is a shining example of the impact that quality education has on every child. Under the leadership of Mr Sulle, So They Can, students, parents, teachers and community members will continue to work together so that every student can realise their full potential.

So They Can rewarded the school for their outstanding PSLE results with a projector, which the teachers requested and have already begun using, to engage students in engaging content in classes.