Advanced Level Education Programme Officially Inaugurated at Sakura Girls Secondary School

H.E. Yoichi Mikami, Ambassador of Japan to Tanzania, joins Tanzanian and Japanese partners as Sakura Girls Secondary School marks the start of Advanced Level education

Bangata Village, Arusha District, Arusha, Tanzania | 25 July 2026

Sakura Girls Secondary School officially inaugurated its Advanced Level secondary education programme on 25 July 2026, marking a major step in the school’s development and expanding the pathway available to girls from Ordinary Level education towards university and professional careers.

The Guest of Honour was H.E. Yoichi Mikami, Ambassador of Japan to the United Republic of Tanzania, who attended with three officials from the Embassy of Japan in Tanzania.

The ceremony also brought together Mr. Furuya, Chairman of Group Kilimanjaro Inc. (GKI), Japan, accompanied by a GKI representative; Ms. Naoko, CEO and Chairwoman of KAGLA Vaportech Corporation, Japan, accompanied by KAGLA Vaportech staff; representatives of the Government of Tanzania from Arusha District Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; as well as parents, teachers, school staff and students.

At the centre of the occasion was a significant educational achievement: girls at Sakura Girls Secondary School can now continue their education beyond Form Four through an Advanced Level programme at the school.

From Ordinary Level to Advanced Level Education

The inauguration followed the commencement of Sakura Girls Secondary School’s first Form Five class on 6 July 2026.

For the school, this represents an important institutional progression. Sakura Girls Secondary School is no longer providing only Ordinary Level secondary education; it now offers an educational pathway through Advanced Level, strengthening opportunities for girls preparing for university, professional training and future leadership.

The expansion is particularly important to the school’s commitment to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and to increasing opportunities for girls to pursue advanced studies.

The 25 July event was therefore specifically the inauguration of the Advanced Level education programme—not the inauguration of the buildings.

From Facilities Opened in 2025 to Students Learning in 2026

The infrastructure supporting the Advanced Level programme had already been officially inaugurated in September 2025.

Construction of the facilities was supported by the Government of Japan through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) and Group Kilimanjaro Inc., Japan.

The development included four classrooms, a computer room, teachers’ office, sanitation facilities, a 64-student dormitory, matron’s house, sewage infrastructure and fencing.

Approximately TZS 364 million was provided through the Government of Japan’s GGP support, while Group Kilimanjaro Inc. contributed approximately TZS 150 million towards the school’s development.

The sequence is important. The facilities were constructed and officially opened in 2025. The first Form Five students began their studies on 6 July 2026. Then, on 25 July, the school and its partners formally marked the inauguration of the Advanced Level education programme for which those facilities were developed.

What was once an infrastructure investment is now a functioning educational opportunity for girls.

Students at the Centre of the Ceremony

Students were not simply spectators at the inauguration. They participated directly in the official programme, including delivering speeches before the Guest of Honour, visiting delegations, government representatives, parents, teachers and fellow students.

Formal addresses were also delivered by the Headmaster of Sakura Girls Secondary School; H.E. Ambassador Yoichi Mikami; Mr. Furuya, Chairman of Group Kilimanjaro Inc.; and a representative of the District Executive Director of Arusha District Council.

Having students speak alongside institutional leaders reflected the purpose of the occasion: the Advanced Level programme exists for their education, aspirations and future.

Tanzania–Japan Cooperation Producing an Educational Result

The presence of Ambassador Mikami and representatives of Japanese partner organisations reflected the longstanding cooperation between Tanzania and Japan that has contributed to the development of Sakura Girls Secondary School.

Through support from the Government of Japan and Group Kilimanjaro Inc., alongside the Government of Tanzania, school leadership and the wider school community, Sakura has progressively developed the infrastructure and institutional capacity required to extend education beyond Ordinary Level.

The 25 July ceremony demonstrated a measurable result of that cooperation: students are now using the facilities and pursuing Advanced Level studies.

The participation of representatives from Arusha District Council and Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs further reflected the importance of connecting international cooperation with national and local institutions.

Further information about Japan’s cooperation in Tanzania is available through the Embassy of Japan in Tanzania.

Group Kilimanjaro Inc.: Long-Term Support Reaches the Classroom

The participation of Chairman Furuya and Group Kilimanjaro Inc., Japan, was particularly significant because GKI’s relationship with Sakura Girls Secondary School extends beyond the inauguration ceremony.

Its approximately TZS 150 million contribution complemented the Government of Japan’s support for facilities required for the school’s expansion.

With Advanced Level education now underway, the impact of that investment can be seen beyond the physical structures: classrooms are being occupied, students are studying and an educational pathway that previously ended at Ordinary Level has been extended.

Chairman Furuya addressed the gathering during the official programme, joining students, school leadership, government representatives and other partners in marking the beginning of this stage of Sakura’s educational development.

KAGLA Vaportech Supports Sakura’s Transition to Cleaner Energy

The participation of Ms. Naoko and the KAGLA Vaportech Corporation delegation represented another practical dimension of Tanzania–Japan cooperation at Sakura Girls Secondary School.

KAGLA Vaportech’s contribution is separate from the construction of the Advanced Level facilities.

Through cooperation involving JICA and Tanzania’s Ministry of Energy, KAGLA Vaportech has supported the school’s transition from fuelwood to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for cooking and hot-water services.

For a boarding school, energy is a practical part of everyday education. Meals must be prepared daily, hot water provided and essential residential services maintained. Reducing dependence on fuelwood therefore supports a cleaner and more efficient school environment while reducing pressure on wood resources.

This clean-energy initiative complements the expansion of educational facilities by improving the environment in which students live and learn.

More information about the company’s LPG technology and activities is available through KAGLA Vaportech Corporation.

Government and Community Participation

Representatives of Arusha District Council and Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the inauguration alongside the Japanese delegations, school leadership, parents, staff and students.

A representative of the District Executive Director addressed the gathering on behalf of the district administration.

Their participation highlighted an important part of the school’s development: while international cooperation has helped provide infrastructure and technical support, sustainable Advanced Level education depends on effective school leadership, qualified teachers, government education structures, engaged parents and students committed to learning.

The Real Measure of the Investment

The significance of 25 July extends beyond the ceremony.

The classrooms, dormitory, computer room and other facilities constructed for the school’s expansion now have students using them. Teachers are delivering Advanced Level instruction. Girls completing Ordinary Level have an additional pathway towards higher education.

That is where the value of the investment will ultimately be measured.

Success will be seen in students progressing through Form Five and Form Six, performing strongly academically, entering universities and professional training, and using their education to contribute to their communities and Tanzania.

For parents, the programme represents an expanded educational opportunity for their daughters. For the school, it brings increased responsibility to deliver quality Advanced Level education. For the partners who supported the expansion, it represents the transition from investment in infrastructure to measurable educational opportunity.

The Opportunity Now Belongs to the Girls

Savannah Vision Tanzania recognises the contributions of the Government of Tanzania, Government of Japan, Embassy of Japan in Tanzania, Group Kilimanjaro Inc., KAGLA Vaportech Corporation, JICA, Arusha District Council, Sakura Girls Secondary School leadership and staff, parents, students and other partners whose distinct roles have contributed to the school’s development.

The facilities were officially opened in September 2025. The first Form Five students entered their Advanced Level classrooms on 6 July 2026. On 25 July 2026, the Advanced Level education programme was formally inaugurated.