We are excited for you to get to know SEGA’s Headmistress Elly Sarakikya! Below is an interview between Elly and Nurturing Minds’ Board Member Susan Schneider, who spent two years teaching English at SEGA under Elly’s guidance as a Peace Corps volunteer.

BACKGROUND/EDUCATION

I was born in the Arusha Region, under the foot of Mt. Meru, just adjacent to Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. I started and completed my Primary School Education in Arusha and went on to attend Machame Girls Secondary School for my Secondary School in Kilimanjaro. Later, I studied at the University of Dar es Salaam where I obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Education.

I worked as a teacher for many years before joining the Tanzania Teachers Commission as an Ethics officer. After I completed my service with the government I worked with the MasterCard Foundation and later became the Principal of Njombe Professional College before joining SEGA in January 2017.

FAMILY

I am married with five children. Two of them are lawyers, one is a human resource officer, one is a business woman and one is a politician.

BUILDING STRONG FOUNDATIONS

I have gotten to know the staff members, many parents and members of the community as creating those strong bonds has been paramount for me. One of my goals was to establish a strict code for behavior on campus that would be firm, yet fair, to all students and staff. Therefore, there is little possibility that students will disturb the work of the majority who come to school wanting to learn. I think this has been successful as students understand what a huge opportunity it is to attend a school like SEGA with good resources, plenty of food and medical attention and teachers that care for their success and well-being.

GETTING PARENTS INVOLVED

I know students do much better at all levels when parents are involved. I work very hard to get parents involved through meetings at school, and in the students’ home areas. We also make phone calls inviting them to come to school so students have a chance to showcase what they have been learning. This has been a good way to update them on the progress of their children. The result has been positive change in students’ behaviors. Most of them focus more on studies and eventually perform well on their final examinations.

BUILDING STUDENTS’ SUCCESS

I have managed to come up with lots of academic activities to keep students learning and focused. Some of these initiatives are Saturday practice tests three times a month, morning quizzes two times a week, school clubs once a week and joint examinations with well performing schools. All these programs have been fruitful to students as they keep them active and focused.

I have been able to organize teachers to work together to recognize successful students. Staff members nominate students for special recognition awards that are presented on graduation to students who have excelled in different programs.

Through these programs and close supervision, SEGA students have academically improved tremendously. For example, year after year, the performance on National Examinations has shined and students joining A-level high schools and universities have increased in number.

PAYING ATTENTION TO TEACHERS’ NEEDS

I have been able to organize capacity building trainings for all staff. The result is that we have a strong and confident teaching staff with excellent academic outcomes for our students. They know they are supported in reaching their goals.

MY FUTURE VISION FOR SEGA

My vision is for each SEGA employee to realize the importance of teamwork which will eventually lead to the development of well-rounded, confident and responsible students who aspire to achieve their full potential. This will come about by providing a welcoming, happy, safe, and supportive learning environment in which every student is equal and all achievements are celebrated. Also, it is important to fully involve parents in order to establish a standard of excellence and well-disciplined students.

THANK YOU, NURTURING MINDS!

I would like to thank the entire Nurturing Minds Board Members for putting so much effort into improving the lives of SEGA students and staff.

There were tough times, especially during COVID-19, when the staff and students did not understand the seriousness because everything ran smoothly compared to other schools that were severely affected. Some schools could not continue as normal to the extent that employees did not get their salaries when schools closed because parents could not pay school fees.

I highly appreciate the work of the Nurturing Minds Board Members and supporters who were so thoughtful and made things easy for the SEGA community.

My thumbs up for the Nurturing Minds “COVID-19 Task Force” that worked tirelessly to give ideas on the necessary precautions about how to prevent the spread of the virus. It helped prevent any SEGA staff or students from getting COVID-19.

Get To Know SEGA's Headmistress, Elly Sarakikya