Background:  In the Spring of 1989, St. Benedict’s Secondary School first opened it’s doors to the boys and girls of Hanga.  This boys and girls secondary school was founded by the Hanga Abbey in response to the ever increasing educational needs of the surrounding community.  It provides a low priced, secular secondary education to over 498 students from Hanga and from other villages throughout Tanzania.

Mission: To provide quality and affordable education for everyone in Tanzania.  We understand the struggles many families have paying secondary school fees.  As a result, we keep our fees at a reasonable price to allow many local villagers, orphans, and other students who would otherwise be unable to pay for schooling the opportunity for education.

Curriculum Offered:  St. Benedict’s encompasses the typical secondary education in Tanzania (Forms 1-4).  These four grade levels consist of a total of 500 students.  295 of these 500 students are female.  Our curriculum cover a wide range of subjects including:  Kiswahili, English, Mathematics, Civics, History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agricultural Science, Geography, and Bible Knowledge.  Upon completing their second and fourth years at St. Benedict’s, our students sit for the National Exams, which will determine their future advancement in education. 

Student Projects:  Throughout the week, students are assigned jobs that help to build a sense of responsibility and appreciation for their environment and surroundings.  These tasks include gardening, keeping livestock, cleaning the campus grounds, and other jobs that are designed to help maintain a healthy and sustainable environment.  These work periods are scheduled into the weekly time table along with periods for the students to play sports, participate in clubs (Debate, Choir, and Student Government), and have private study; utilizing the library located on campus.

Housing:  On the St. Benedict’s campus there is dormitory for the female students.  For our male students, we are currently in need of new dormitories on our campus.  As a result, our boys are forced to find housing within Hanga and the other surrounding villages.

 Tuition Fees:  The current tuition fee is 450,000 TZ Shillings (about $350 US Dollars) for boys and 540,000 TZ Shillings (about $415 US Dollars) for girls, which includes dormitory fees. We also offer scholarships to those who are in need.  

Recent Progress at St. Benedict Secondary School. Two events has marked a mile stone in the history of St. Benedict Secondary School. The first one is the celebration of the first graduation of Advanced Level Secondary education. There were three graduates: Clementina Nziku, Mary Mwanyika and Alfas Komba. Of the three graduates, Clementina Nziku had completed her Ordinary Level secondary education at St. Benedict Secondary School. We are proud of her. Hanga Abbey is proud to be able to offer such an opportunity for education. We congratulate the three students for their courage as pioneers.

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Above  from left – Clementina Nziku, Br. Odo Nanyanje, OSB, Alfa Komba and Mary Mwanyika

Below from left – Fr. Mugaga Angelo (the headmaster), Clementina Nziku, Alfa Komba, Mary Mwanyika and Abbot Thadei Mhagama, OSB, the abbot of Hanga Abbey.

Another event that has happened at St. Benedict is the establishment of solar electricity. In March 2011 solar panels were installed to run computers and for lighting in classes and domitories. Thanks to Fr. John O Callaghan of Glenstal Benedictine abbey in Ireland for his efforts to get donors for the panels and the computers. In the picture below are students and the two men from Ireland who installed the solar panels.