Academic Excellence

A challenging International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme nurtures a love of learning and inquiry in students. It allows students to not only increase their knowledge base, but also demonstrate their learning and then act upon it. Following graduation, 95% of students receive admission to four-year university programmes or colleges.

The IB Programme helps students become:

• Inquirers — their natural curiosity has been nurtured and they actively enjoy learning
• Thinkers — they exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to solving complex problems
• Communicators — they receive and express ideas and information confidently in more than one language
• Risk-takers — they approach unfamiliar situations without anxiety and have the confidence to explore new ideas
• Knowledgeable — they have explored themes that have global significance and have acquired a critical mass of knowledge
• Principled — they have a sound grasp of the principles of moral reasoning and have acquired integrity, honesty and a sense of justice
• Caring — they show sensitivity towards the needs and feelings of others, and have a sense of personal commitment to helping others
• Open-minded — they respect the values of other individuals and cultures and seek to consider a range of points of view
• Well-balanced — they understand the importance of physical and mental balance and personal well-being
• Reflective — they give thoughtful consideration to their own learning by constructively analysing their personal strengths and weaknesses

“The IB curriculum is statistically the best curriculum in the world today. It is the most accepted high school diploma and is recognised all over the globe. IST as the staff and experience to nurture each child to their own strengths and obtain excellent grades.” - Parent of three IST students.

The skills students acquire through IST’s IB Programme puts them ahead of those who were not enrolled in this curriculum. Students graduate IST ready for anything, giving them the ability to achieve excellence.

“IST is committed to challenging, supporting and inspiring each and every student and for us, this begins with knowing students as individuals and building relationships with each learner,” said Dr. Mark Hardeman, the Director of IST. “This allows our teachers to build appropriate programmes for diverse learners so that everyone is challenged and supported to be successful.”

This individualized learning partnered with academic rigor, exceptional faculty, global networks and a strong community is why the International School of Tanganyika is the perfect recommendation for a friend.

Want to learn more about our school community, academic programmes, IB Diploma results or graduate matriculation?

Click here to see our school profile.

Global Education Networks

A school which has an affiliation with influential global education networks provides students a chance to connect with others both worldwide and locally in Dar es Salaam. Students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of local and global activities that expand their perspective and connects them to their peers around the world.

IST has a long and extensive history with a number of international organizations since its establishment in 1963.

“We have connections with many international schools to support opportunities for IST students,” said the Director of IST, Dr. Mark Hardeman, using IST’s affiliation with the International Schools of Southern and East Africa Association (ISSEA) as a strong example.

“This group was founded to promote opportunities for athletic, artistic and academic collaboration with schools in the region,” Dr. Hardeman said.

The ISSEA is a prestigious international league of eight schools who compete in a wide range of activities from football, basketball, swimming and volleyball, to band, choir, drama, robotics and STEM projects. Students get the chance to hone their athletic and teamwork skills and compete against others who give them an extreme challenge. This teaches the students work ethic, collaboration and persistence.

IST takes part in 11 different ISSEA competitions or conventions each year.

“It gives our students both connection to the greater continent of Africa, but also a greater connection to students from all over the world,” said Joe Seavey, the Secondary Campus' Activities Director. “Students take seriously their opportunities to represent IST at ISSEA events, and relish in the successes and growth over each four-day event.”

IST’s global network is something that benefits the school, the faculty and most importantly, the students.

Seavey believes the programming at IST is greatly enhanced by the ISSEA and other global networks.

IST was also a founding member of the African Association of International Schools (AISA) which helps to provide educators with a large number of professional learning conferences each year in Africa.

“I am lucky enough to serve on the AISA Board of Directors which allows me to contribute to the development programmes for thousands of educators across the continent,” Dr. Hardeman said.

IST hosted the Global Issues Service Summit in January 2019, with 150+ visitors from schools from all over the world coming to the campus.

As illustrated above, IST is affiliated with many influential global networks and we have some blog posts exploring these partnerships.

Learn more about IST’s student-led Model United Nations (MUN) programme that connects students from around the world.

Local Partnerships

Partnering with local businesses and organizations can drastically improve a student’s experience by giving them opportunities outside the school doors.

Whether it be with the sport organizations such as the Jr. NBA or service projects, IST has many local partnerships in Dar es Salaam to ensure students have every opportunity possible. One example is the collaboration with Tanzania Life Saving Society (TALISS).

TALISS is one of the premier swimming clubs in Tanzania and the partnership allows them to utilize the IST facilities and supports many additional opportunities for students to train and compete in international meets. Not only does this give students access to global networks, it also instills a productive and efficient work ethic.

The partnership with TALISS was for the benefit of the swimmers given 60% of TALISS swimmers are from IST, according to the manager of the swim club.

“We strive for the same goals, stand for the same principles and provide greater attention for the swimmers success,” said the Manager of TALISS, Hadija Shebe, regarding the partnership with IST.

Students at IST benefit from this partnership because TALISS competes at all levels including Tanzania Nationals Competition and Fina events. This gives students access to a global community and a new level of challenge.

Want to take this information home with you? Click here to download the infographic and discover a BONUS reason on why to recommend IST to a friend!

Commitment to Tanzania

“IST is a name that is instantly recognizable to all in Tanzania. From police, hospitals, airports, etc., the level of respect and recognition is flattering and a reflection of the influence that the school has,” said Ivan Chew, the Secondary Campus Physical Health and Education teacher at IST.

Chew remembers hiking up Uluguru Mountain in the Morogoro region and halfway up, he noticed a sign with the familiar IST logo, which indicated the school’s conservation effort. He saw another IST sign when he arrived at the Mornington Hotel, which is an old rundown German building that overlooks the city of Morogoro.

“IST was helping to preserve the building and support the local families who use it, ” Chew said.

IST’s long history of supporting the community not only within Dar es Salaam but also throughout Tanzania is one of the reasons to recommend our school to a friend. There is an ethos of service embedded in IST’s community.

The students at IST have many opportunities to engage in service work to not only benefit the local community but also the students themselves as service work plants pivotal skills necessary for a successful life.

Engaging in experiential learning and getting acquainted with the local community, helps students learn in a hands-on way. It opens their eyes to the community around them to see ways in which they can lend a helping hand.

An Example of IST’s Commitment to Tanzania

During IST’s Extended School Programme (ESP) week, the entire school sets out to all corners of Tanzania to experience their surroundings. Each trip includes elements of the local culture to help students become globalized and promote acceptance.

According to Chew, the Physical Health and Education teacher an IST’s Secondary Campus, there are many memorable moments during these trips with one occurring in Zanzibar.

“Our G6 students joined in singing 'Mambo Bwana' with a local spice boy on a spice farm,” Chew said. “The locals and other tourists were charmed and shocked wondering where in the world our kids came from.”

IST’s commitment to Tanzania is important because it’s easy to get caught in the expat bubble when you move to a new community. Attending a school which prides itself in providing opportunities to engage with the locals encourages students to get out and learn about their surroundings. When they grow up and reflect on their past experiences, they will come to realize just how special and rare it really was.

This unique approach to education exposes students to nature and the African experience helps foster a rich culture within the school community.

Since IST’s founding in 1963, a commitment to the local community has been paramount to the overall ethos of the school. An example of this is IST’s contributions to the Kindwitwi village.

Click here to read more.

Personalized Learning

Personalized learning is pivotal to student success. The way we learn as individuals is as unique as we are; people retain information in different ways, and that is exactly how this approach to learning is tailored.

IST is focused on challenging, supporting and inspiring each student that comes through the school doors.

“We recognize that we cannot reach our mission if we don’t recognize students as individuals and work collaboratively with families to meet the needs of each student,” said Dr. Mark Hardeman, the Director of IST.

The programmes are balanced in a way that provides opportunities for each student to explore and develop in areas that they are interested in or passionate about.

The school has an extensive history with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme, which ensures that it offers memorable learning experiences, and guarantees student achievements are recognized within the school community.

Read our profile on personalized learning to find out more.

Excellent Facilities

IST boasts two campuses, one for Primary and one for Secondary, each providing and atmosphere conducive to learning. Located in the residential areas of Dar es Salaam, both campuses are designed to foster interaction, collaboration and provide flexibility. This atmosphere inspires students to learn and supports a world-class educational experience.

The continuous development of the campuses is at the forefront of Board conversations during meetings as the perpetual maintenance and enhancement to give the students a state of the art education is of the utmost importance to the school.

“This vision, and focused implementation has helped our community to see enhancements to the facility each year as we continue our work to support our Master Site Plan,” said Dr. Hardeman.

Adding to this world-class educational experience, the facilities at IST support a balanced curriculum. On each campus, there are multiple courts, a pool, fields, music rooms, art facilities and theaters for the school productions.

“Our facilities support our work to offer students a balanced programme and engage with multiple disciplines as learners.”

Click here to learn more about IST’s facilties.

Want to take this information home with you? Click here to download the infographic and discover a BONUS reason on why to recommend IST to a friend!

World Class Faculty

At IST, faculty members are recruited from both Tanzania and around the world, allowing for a diverse range of values. Regardless of where faculty come from, they share four important characteristics:

1. 1. They are experts in their field, often holding advanced degrees and training in our core programmes such as the Primary and Middle Years Programmes, as well as our Diploma Programme.
   2. They are committed to making the world a better place and are keen to contribute to Tanzania.
   3. They are willing to contribute to our co-curricular programmes and are excited about sharing their passions and interests with the community.
   4. They love working with our students and recognize that all of our students are unique individuals.

Click here to discover how faculty at IST bring their expertise and an exceptional learning experience to students at IST.

Dedicated Support Systems

One of IST’s many strengths is providing support above and beyond academic instruction.

IST’s commitment to individualized learning approach includes ensuring students have the support they need to learn. We have a strong Student Support Systems Department which includes members of our learning support team, English as an Additional Language and a counseling department.

This team is available to support student needs, and to work collaboratively with our faculty, parents and students to develop programmes that meet the individual needs of each IST student.

Visit our Student Services to learn more.

Distinguished History

IST is one of the oldest and most prestigious international schools in Africa. It is this longevity and sustained excellence that is a testament to the work of thousands of educators, students, parents and community partners since we opened in 1963.

The doors of the school opened with 214 elementary-aged pupils and 12 teachers. Those numbers have grown dramatically over time to make the school what it is today. IST is a thriving international school offering its students a rigorous academic programme coupled with a wide range of extra-curricular activities from the young age of three to Grade 12.

Click here to explore our story, learn about our contributions and connections to Tanzania and the role we’ve played in its history and discover stories about notable faculty and alumni.

Since opening our doors, we’ve had many amazing individuals walk through these halls and go on to live inspiring lives. We’ve recently started a new alumni portal, where graduates can re-connect and network with one another.

Click here to join our growing community.