Education is the most sustainable form of aid and underpins all of our projects in Tanzania.
About the Katoke-Lweru Secondary School
The Katoke-Lweru Secondary School (KLSS) is located close to the western shores of Lake Victoria in the picturesque Katoke area of the Kagera Region of northwestern Tanzania.
KLSS opened in April 2009 and currently has some 380 students enrolled from Forms 1-6. About 340 students board on-site with the remainder coming daily from local villages. The inaugural senior level started in July 2014 with a total of 50 students in Form 5 (Year 11). The first senior students graduated in June 2016 in a country where only a very small fraction proceeds past Form 4 (Year 10).
A master building plan is being implemented in stages and managed by visiting volunteer builders. The School today has 15 general classrooms, three science laboratories, a computer laboratory, library and administrative centre. Students are boarded in 6 large dormitories and staff in 3 staff quarters blocks and 2 small houses. In addition there is a Head of School house, visitor and guest accommodation, as well as a first aid clinic staffed by our two qualified nurses. A new temporary kitchen, boys dormitory and additional staff quarters have recently been completed. The school is expected to grow over the next few years to have a student population of 500.
KLSS plays a significant role in the education of the area. It has been established as a Lighthouse School to also support quality teaching and learning in surrounding schools. Teachers from 20 local schools are invited to KLSS for professional workshops each year.
The School’s motto, “Strive for the goal” (Philippians 3:14) encourages students, staff and volunteers to seek excellence in learning and teaching to become the people God made them to be. The school seeks to nurture boys and girls to be “educated contributors and leaders for tomorrow” in all spheres of life.
The Staff
We have 25 full time and 2 part time teachers, plus administration, library and boarding staff. Our current Head of School is Sid Moir, who took over from Ken Langford-Smith at the start of 2021.
Sid, the founding head of the school, with his wife Marilyn, has returned to Katoke after having been there for 6 years previously, from the start of the school at the beginning of 2009 until the start of 2015. Sid is very ably supported by an African leadership team comprising Mr Osia Mwampashe (Deputy Head), Mr Emanuel Luambano (Academic O-level coordinator), Mr Timothy Ainebyona (Academic A-level coordinator), Mr John Bisagaya (Coordinator of Student Activities) and of course the School Board chaired by the Lweru diocesan Bishop Godfrey Mbelwa.
School Life
Students begin lessons each day with two hours of study before their 7am porridge breakfast. After their 7.30 am assembly they have 10 x 40-minute subject periods each day with a 2- 3 hour preparation time after dinner each evening. On Saturday, they have another 6 hours of prep during the day and another 2-3 hours in the evening. Form 1-4 (O-Level) subjects include English, Basic and Additional Mathematics, Geography, History, Kiswahili, Civics, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Music, Physical Education and Religious Studies.
KLSS needs to function with a high degree of infrastructure independence. It has its own water supply, emergency diesel power, sewerage and waste systems, which require regular monitoring and maintenance. The nearest major town is a 100km round-trip, requiring careful planning to ensure there are adequate on-site and delivered supplies of food, household items and school consumable resources.
KLSS is evolving a culture that embraces a high-quality teaching and learning environment nurturing excellence, leadership, teamwork and compassion. KLSS has already developed an enviable reputation for excellent academic results across the full range of student abilities. In national examinations it has been placed 3rd out of 46 schools in the district and at times, in the top 9% of the nation in forms two and four. Graduating students from the school are becoming known for their strong work ethic, high standards and trustworthiness. They aspire to additional post-school skills and vocations that will advance the nation of Tanzania. Many scores of our Form 4 and Form 6 leavers have progressed to technical studies, teachers colleges, and university courses which have been completed successfully.
The School Board and the Katoke Trust are aware that there is still much to be done and achieved but we praise God our Heavenly Father for his bountiful provision in enabling the school to be where it is today since opening in 2009.
To learn more about the development of the school, visit our History page.