IST is an independent, private, not-for-profit day school. We offer rigorous academic programmes coupled with a wide range of extra-curricular activities serving students from the young age of three to 18 (Grade 12). Both our academics and extracurricular activities allow our students to excel in whatever they put their minds to.;xNLx;;xNLx;Founded in 1963, the school has been working with expatriate and Tanzanian families providing a world-class education for our students for 55 years. In the words of our Director, Mark Hardeman, “Our longevity and strong international reputation have been developed through effective partnerships with our local community, strong academic results, and a well-balanced curriculum which allows students to explore their passions and interests.”;xNLx;;xNLx;Through our timeline, you'll find significant moments in history both for IST and Tanzania. Make sure to click around as there are blog posts, audio clips and videos attached. ;xNLx;;xNLx;The research for this timeline was brought together with the help of Graham Mercer’s "A Very Special School", a book on IST’s rich history. ;xNLx;
The concept for IST began taking shape as the result of an increased international outlook and an influx of international workers and their families in Dar es Salaam, following Tanganyika’s (see 1964 in the timeline to see how Tanganyika later joined with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanzania) independence.
Tanganyika becomes independent with Julius Nyerere as Prime Minister.
With the influx of an international community, a few parents began exploring the possibility of setting up an international school in Dar es Salaam. This group of parents, together with the assistance of the then Geneva-based International Schools Association, founded IST the next year.
Tanganyika becomes a republic with Julius Nyerere elected as President. He became President in 1964.
He was added to the Board and served with distinction. He later went on to be honored as a Honorary Knight Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003. Also honored in 2005 with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award by the President of India He was one of the 20 founder members of the school committee.
In 1962, a few parents began exploring the possibility of setting up an international school in Dar es Salaam. This group of parents, together with the assistance of the then Geneva-based International Schools Association, founded IST in 1963. When IST opened its doors on what was then called Cameron Road (now United Nations Road) in September of that year, it had 214 elementary-aged pupils, nine full-time and one part-time teacher, mostly recruited from within Tanzania. At the time, it was also the first international school in this half of Africa. By the end of the year, the school community had grown to 305 pupils and 15 full-time teachers. One of the original teachers was Gloria Mawji, read her story by clicking the link below.
Irene Leach was the school’s first Head. She’s "perhaps the most outstanding”, according to long-time IST teacher, Graham Mercer. Read his story by clicking the link below!
Dr. Michael Latham, IST’s first Board Chair and one of the school’s founders, addressing the audience at IST’s opening ceremony. To his left is Mr. Desmond Cole-Baker of the International School of Geneva who acted as a visiting consultant during IST’s early years. The ceremony also included Mr. Eliufoo, Tanganyika’s first Minister of Education. Dr. Latham was an English medical doctor specializing in nutrition. In a book about IST’s history "A Very Special School - In Africa" by Graham Mercer, Latham spoke of the founding of IST he said, “It was originally built as a Primary School before full independence...” Click the photo to hear the rest of Dr. Latham’s perspective on founding IST.
Mr. Houghton paid a special tribute to Michael Latham “and all those who had worked so selflessly and untiringly towards the setting up of the school”.
Zanzibar becomes independent.
Tanganyika and Zanzibar merge to become Tanzania with Nyerere as President and Afro-Shirazi leader Abeid Amani Karume as Vice-President.
IST founding member, Dr. Michael Latham receives an OBE Award. Want to hear his thoughts on this moment? Click the photo.
Irene Leach’s resignation was “accepted with great regret”. Click the photo to hear Irene’s thoughts on her time at the school and in Tanzania in general. After Irene left, David Holmes took her place and his successor Peter Bransgrove was “very impressed on the ground of his tact, his previous experience, his enthusiasm and his administrative ability”. He was an Englishman and had previously worked at the International School of Geneva.
Described as “a very good Head”, Lorna led IST for five years and left IST in a “much bigger, much better and happier school than she had inherited.”
IST registered as a Secondary School with permission to operate Grades 9 to 12. Grades 1 and 2 were also expanding rapidly, they were now up to 28 children per class. It was also announced that the school now employed 11 teachers from overseas.
Work on two tennis courts and a practice court had begun.
The new school flats - now known as “A” Block - had been accepted. A new administrative office block was being built, ready for occupancy by the start of the new school year, by which time the number of classes would have increased to 31, with about 24 pupils per class, plus a science specialist, three language specialists, a swimming instructor and a P.E./ English specialist.
Three “graded posts” were confirmed: Head of Senior School (Grades 7-9), Head of Junior School (Grades 3-6) and Head of Infant School (Grades 1 and 2). The new sports field and tennis courts were open, and the problem of traffic congestion at the school entrance was alleviated by changing the school hours slightly from 07:30 - 12:30 to 07:15-12:15.
The story of 91 Msese Road is told through the eyes of Graham Mercer, who was a teacher at IST. “[This] was a lovely, colonial-style building in its own gardens, across the creek from the school. When I joined the school in 1977 it was known as the ‘Headmaster's House’ and the Head of the time, who would now be known as the CEO or Director, was Harry Potts. Harry and his wife Monica were extremely hospitable and we teachers were invited for dinner at Msese Road on a rotary basis.” The home on 91 Msese Road is just one of the many traditions IST has. Find out what the rest of them are by clicking the link below!
By the end of 1972, there were 726 students and 46 teachers (27 local hires, 16 overseas hires and three local part-time).
The Ministry of Lands granted the school a 99-year lease, effective from April 1, 1975 on a 10-acre site in Msasani. Three years later, construction of IST’s Secondary School began.
The Chairman of the Board paid tribute to Ted for the part he played in advancing IST’s academic programme. Among those advancements was the re-writing of the curriculum, the appointment of the school’s first Curriculum Coordinators, the initiation of an ESL programme, the successful establishment of a Reception Class and IST’s first summer school. Eight new classrooms and four new teachers’ flats (the beginnings of “D Block”) were also added.
The Head of School of IST was Harry Potts, “The man who taught Prince Charles”. Harry Headed IST for three years and is remembered by one of his employees as being an amazing man. “Harry was the [Head of School] (then known as CEO) who hired me in 1977. An Australian, he had taught at Gordonstoun School in Scotland, where Prince Charles was a student. Harry was a bit eccentric but a quite amazing man who made his own wonderful puppets, his own sailing boat and his own musical instruments (at which he is an expert). He also had a very good tenor voice. He is still going strong in his ‘80s and we exchange Christmas cards every year. Right now he is Churchwarden (or something similar) in the oldest church in London," said Graham Mercer, who was a teacher at IST.
The school made the move to expand to an Upper School opening with a single block of classrooms. The photo showcases Secondary students planting trees on their new campus site on the Msasani Peninsula.
The man with a big heart and big ideas affectionately known as “Uncle Mike”. During his time as Head, the Secondary School Principal was Ernest Polack and the Lower School Principal was Marlene Fernandes. He also had “an outstanding Board Chair, B.K. Tanna”.
Ernest Polack “was a lovely man”, according to Graham Mercer. Polack was Secondary Headmaster in the early ‘80s. He was pivotal in establishing a link with Kindwitwi. Read the story by clicking the link below.
Graham Mercer outlined the digital revolution as one of the most influential times in IST’s history. With the introduction of computers, came emails, Internet and the decision to embrace the Primary Years Programme. According to Graham, this was an exciting time to be at IST. Read Graham’s story by clicking the link below.
The first IST students to sit for a mathematics GCSE exam.
The new Principal’s house on the Msasani campus was almost complete, five new classrooms were ready for use and four two-bedroomed teachers' flats were occupied. A number of Secondary School students were soon trained in the use of computers (something that was developed into a regular IST course in September 1983).
Mike becomes the first non-American Chairman of the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA).
Bill Powell, IST’s Head of School, organized a teachers cooperative called GRAB as food was often in short supply, according to his son, Sean. This initiative was brought forth by Bill (then the Head of English) and Charlye Woolman (descendent of Charles Darwin and a teacher at IST). “[We] would locate and procure food and then sell them to teachers once a week,” Powell said. “I remember manning the counter and selling items such as flour, butter, sausage, sugar, etc.” Want to read the rest of Sean’s story? Click the link below.
Founding of IST Clinic - Belia Klaassen played a vital role in helping make the IST Clinic, a facility which offers a full range of high-quality primary care services all within one institution, what it is today. The IST Clinic itself was founded in the ‘80s and the Medical Scheme was initiated in 1998 by the International School of Tanganyika (IST), British High Commission and a few other companies. It was in 1999 that a new clinic was built, fully equipped with the newest form of medical equipment. Read Belia’s story here.
The International Baccalaureate Programme was introduced in 1983 and has since become the main curriculum at IST. Want to learn more about how the IB Programme helps your children succeed? Click the link below!
B.K. Tanna, IST’s Board Chair, bought the Dar es Salaam Nursery School on a little site close to the National Museum on behalf of IST. The Kindergarten started with 96 pupils, five teachers, five teacher aides and a Principal.
Mike left after six years and one term. Bill Powell and Kevin Bartlett became Acting Head of School together for the remainder of the academic year. The school, after Mike’s time as Head, was at an all-time peak for enrolment and was accredited by the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) and the Middle States Organization. The ECIS report declared IST to be “a very good school by any standards, worldwide”.
Niall was well qualified for this position, he had a Ph.D. in educational administration from Harvard.
The new dispensary, with the help of IST students and faculty, opened in 1986 and still stands strong to this day. It was named after Ernest Polack to reflect the long, important, relationship with IST. The dispensary includes a doctor’s office, examination and dressing rooms, a large laboratory and a secure drug-storage room. Read the story by clicking the link below.
Through the eyes of a new teacher at the school, IST was a diverse and exciting place to be. “IST is a very special and unique school with over 60 nationalities represented,” Anne McAra said. “This was the case when I joined and remains so today and makes IST an exceptionally interesting, lively and accepting community to be part of.” Read Anne’s story by clicking the link below.
Following years of construction, the Secondary Campus on the Msasani Peninsula was officially opened.
B.K. Tanna steps down after being the Chairman of the Board for six and a half years. Mike Maybury paid a great tribute to B.K. Click the photo to hear it!
School enrolment was high with almost 1,300 students and the new teachers’ flats known as “E-Block” were completed.
The school was linked to Buguruni School for the Deaf in 1987 all thanks to IST teacher Anne McAra. “IST students learn some sign language in order to communicate with their new friends,” McAra said, adding that this is a heart-warming sight to see. According to one of her students, Carla, Buguruni is an exceptional experience. “Buguruni is a really good experience because you get to learn so many new things. You get to be in a new environment with new people and see how they live. It’s really fun playing with the children,” Carla said. “I can sign a little sign language now and have made new friends. I love drawing on the whiteboards together and they teach me the signs for the pictures we draw! It’s great fun!” Read Anne’s story by clicking the button below.
Graham Mercer won the BBC Wildlife Magazine’s Award for nature writers. “This was an important breakthrough for me and very encouraging as I had previously been runner-up twice in succession.” Read Graham’s story by clicking the link below.
It was the first time ever an IB teachers conference was hosted in Africa. IST had grown from a small Elementary School into the biggest international school in Africa and one of the largest worldwide. A month after the conference, 25 Secondary School students, five teachers and Niall were invited to meet ex-President Julius Nyerere at his home on Msasani Bay (as pictured in the photo).
The photo is of an event organized by IST teacher Anne McAra for the children from the Salvation Army School for children who suffered from polio, children from the Buguruni School for the Deaf and children from Mother Theresa's Orphanage. The performance is by the students and teachers from The Bagamoyo College of Arts.
Bill first came to school as an English teacher, then became Head of English and later Secondary School Head. Bill was IST’s Head for eight years, the longest as of 2018. When Joseph P. Carney of the U.S. Office of Oversea Schools visited IST towards the end of the ‘90s, they declared the school was “very able-led and administered by Dr. Bill Powell. His extraordinary leadership and management abilities played an important role in the academic, social and financial stability of the school”.
It was after Swarn Lamba, a long time teacher at IST, and a group of students met Jane Goodall that the idea of a Roots and Shoots programme arose. “Looking out into her garden and the beach beyond she talked about,” Lamba said. “Roots creeping under the ground to make a firm foundation and shoots reaching up and towards the light even breaking brick walls.” Read the rest of Swarn’s story by clicking the link below.
Anise Jivani graduated IST well equipped for a bright future. She enroled in Les Roche Hotel Management School in Bluche, Switzerland and then attended Mount Royal College in Calgary, Alberta. Highly motivated by her own experience, quality of education she received, the resources, facilities and the IB Programme, Anise enroled both her children in IST when she returned back to Tanzania and knows they are in good hands. Read Anise’s story by clicking the link below.
The campus was formed on the Msasani, but Grade 6 students didn’t move from Upanga until August 1999.
Mrs. Chiko Lweno-Aboud was hired as IST’s first Public Information Officer. The Canon Lamburn Memorial Rest House, which IST students helped build was officially opened in Kindwitwi. Want to read more about Kindwitwi? Click the link below!
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