Standard 7 Leaving Day Masia Marangu

In September each year Standard 7 pupils take their National Exam over several days for entry into secondary education. After the examinations primary education is then finished.  In Tanzania Primary Education starts at 7 and continues to the age of 14.  There is also pre-primary education in most schools but in some the parents have to pay for the teacher.  The Standard 7 examination takes place so that the top 50% of pupils can then go onto secondary education.  The remainder of the pupils who are not in the top 50% then either go to vocational school or private schools which again parents have to pay for.  I was privileged to be in Masia Marangu on the day of their Standard 7 leaving celebration and to be part of this.  The whole school gathered on the grassed areas in front of top table.  The leaving children danced and sang songs and read out poems that they had written and then they presented the school staff with a letter of thanks for all their efforts.  There were prizes for the head boy and girl and they presented a gift to the staff that was passed through the hands of those assembled there before arriving with the headteacher.  They all gathered for a formal photography which I took and then they ate hot  food prepared, by parents and school cook, on open fires  with staff and pupils together.  It was all very moving and a moment to be remembered.  I certainly will remember.  The next day I presented a collection of all the photographs taken to the pupils.