Database of Benedictine Schools Worldwide

Tanzania

Name and Address of School

Head of School

Phone

Fax

e-mail

Web Site

Map at Google

Type of School

Co-Ed

Number of Students

Age range

Male

Number of teaching Staff

Female

Staff of Religious Order

Religious Diversity

Ethnic Diversity

Address of Head where different from above

Phone

Fax

e-mail

School Statement

Short history: 

From the very beginning since the arraival fo the Missionary Benedictine Sisters in Peramiho in 1901 the sisters were involved in teaching. But the first educational institution for girls in the Ruvuma region was the Girls' Middel school, which was founded in 1946 on the site of what is now Peramiho Girls' High and Secondary school. Sr. Richardis Nevelling OSB started the Girls' Middel school in Peramiho. This was the first school in the Ruvuma region where girls could obtain an education beyond the primary school level. Abbot-Bishop  Eberhard Spiss OSB, who strongly advocated education for women, supported her efforts. For several years a domestic school was associated with the middles school. The school flourished as more and more people recognized its importance for the future of their daugthers.

Once established, the school began to grow and to flourish like a young tree full of energy under the care of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters. More and more the preople became aware of its importance and soon there arose a need to further foster the educational opportunities for the young women of southern Tanzania. Thus the Benedicitne Mission of Peramiho was promted to start a private secondary school for girls in the Ruvuma region.

Thus in 1968 the school was registerd as a private sondary school for girls under the managemnt and ownership of the Benedictine fathers of Peramiho Abbey. Sr. Ludovica Koch OSB a missionary from nthe Norfolk Priory in Nebraska, USA, was the first headmistress when the school opnened on Jaunary 15, 1968 withh 33 studens in form I. The initial teaching staff consisted of Sr. Prisca Komba OSB from Chipole , late Sr. Cassia Zistler OSB and Fr. Bosco Brunner OSB as religious instructor and advisor.

In 1969, Sr. Ludovica returned to the USA and was succeeded as headmistress by Sr. M. Elisabeth Sarinas OSB who had come from the Philippenes together with Sr. Anselma Paler OSB also a teacher. Sr. Frideswida Ich OSB came from Manila to teach chemistry.

The cookery department was added in 1970 under Sr. Hereswida Zettler OSB, and the teacher textile needlework department in 1975 under Sr. Martina Dreyer OSB. When Sr. Elisabeth was elected prioress in 1971, a former student of the school and since 1968 the biology teacher and dean of discipline at Peramiho Girls'.

Sr.M.Bonaventura Kilowoko OSB assumed the responsibility as headmistress. As the school had now a Tanzanian headmistress our school was never nationalized like other mission schools in 1970 From 1981 to 1995 Mrs Theresia Zenda became the headmistress and she initiated to extend the school to Advanced Level, to give the girls chances to join University, too. Since 1994 the secondary school has been acknowledged as High School including Form V and VI.

In 1995 the Benedictine fathers of Peramiho Abbey handed the ownership and management to the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing. Since then we were lacking our own sisters as qualified teachers. We have lay teachers who are competent and contribute through their knowledge and experience to to the success of Peramihos Girls' Secondary and High School.

Through the help of generous donors we were able to make a general renovation of all the old buildings in school as well as adding some new buildings, like multipurpose hall that can be used for the National Examination, library, dormitories, computer room and recently a mill.

Like the motto of our school says: Our aim is to educate young Tanzanian women in the spirit of St. Benedict in order to encourage them for a good future.

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