Tanzanian Education Explainer

In Tanzania, the terms “Standard” and “Form” refer to different levels of education:

1. Standard (Primary Education)

   • In Kiswahili
   • Equivalent to Canadian elementary grades
   • Runs from Standard 1 to Standard 7
   • For children aged 7-13

2. Form (Secondary Education)

   • In English
   • Similar to Canadian high school grades
   • Divided into two levels:
     • Ordinary Level (O-Level): Form 1 to Form 4 (ages 14-17)
     • Advanced Level (A-Level): Form 5 to Form 6 (ages 18-20)

Key differences from the Canadian system:

• Progression between levels depends on national examination results
• O-Level (Form 4) is roughly equivalent to Canadian Grade 10
• A-Level (Form 6) is similar to Canadian Grade 12, but with more specialized study