A student works on computer hardware during a practical skills class at De'kayra Pre and Primary School in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. (Emmanuel Herman)

NNA News - For pupils at De'kayra Pre and Primary School in Tanzania's coastal town of Bagamoyo, learning does not end when the textbooks are put away. In bright classrooms, young learners are being introduced to computers, electronics, mechanics, agriculture, carpentry and tailoring alongside conventional academic subjects, as the school seeks to equip them with practical skills from an early age. On one classroom wall, a message captures the school's philosophy: “The future of the world is in this room.” The idea is already evident among the pupils.

Five-year-olds Lightness Peter and Careen Aggrey recently stood before a desktop computer, identifying its basic components and explaining how the monitor, keyboard and central processing unit work together. Peter already has an ambition for the future. “I aim to become a fully qualified computer technician in the future,” she said. In another classroom, 10-year-old Brianier Lambert and 11-year-old Judith Mwaria examined a dismantled mobile phone, identifying its internal components and explaining their functions.

Such practical exercises form part of a teaching model that combines academic education with hands-on learning. Academic lessons are held in the mornings, while afternoons are dedicated to practical activities, including mechanics, tailoring, carpentry, computer studies and agriculture. The approach was developed by the school's founder and chief executive officer, Peter Junior, following experiences he gained during travels abroad, particularly in China. Junior travelled to China in 2005 while working in tourism and seeking to promote the historic town of Bagamoyo as a destination for Chinese visitors.

He said what stood out to him was the way education combined theoretical knowledge with practical skills. “What impressed me most was how education combined theory with practical skills. Their rapid technological development is rooted in hands-on learning, vocational training, and a strong emphasis on information and communication technology,” Junior said.

A pupil explains electronic components during a practical skills class at De'kayra Pre and Primary School in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. (Emmanuel Herman)

During his visits to schools in Shanghai, Hong Kong and rural areas, Junior said he observed different approaches to preparing young people for employment and community life. “I saw that education was not one-size-fits-all,” he said. “Students were guided early to develop practical skills and specialise in areas they were passionate about. I realised that if we could adapt such an approach in Tanzania, it could transform how young people prepare for the future.” That experience eventually shaped the educational model now used at De'kayra.

Younger pupils begin with basic computer and English lessons before being introduced to a wider range of practical disciplines. By Grade Four, pupils select four areas of interest. Their choices are reduced to three by Grade Five and to two specialities by Grade Seven, as they prepare to move on to secondary education.

The progression is intended to allow pupils to discover their interests while developing practical abilities alongside their academic studies. “We want every child to leave primary school already able to do something practical,” Junior said. The results are beginning to emerge among the school's older pupils. Some Grade Seven learners can diagnose mechanical faults, design basic computer applications or sew garments, while others have contributed to developing the school's website. The school has also attracted recognition from local education authorities and growing interest from parents who see value in combining academic achievement with practical skills.

Students examine an electronic circuit during a practical skills class at De'kayra Pre and Primary School in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. (Emmanuel Herman)

For Junior, however, the purpose of the model extends beyond examination results. He wants pupils to leave primary school with the confidence and ability to apply what they have learnt in practical settings and contribute to their communities. “We want them to become productive members of society,” he said.

At De'kayra, the classroom is therefore being treated not only as a place where children acquire knowledge, but also as a starting point for discovering what they can make, repair, build and create. For pupils like Peter and Aggrey, that journey has already begun.