A tech-savvy youth aims to revolutionize education by unveiling school rankings and empowering families to make informed choices in a competitive landscape. Photo: Courtesy
Tanzanian innovator launches school ranking website following government cuts
By Adonis Byemelwa
A bold move by Israel Ngowi, a data science expert from Arusha, Tanzania, has filled the void left by the government’s decision to halt the publication of national school rankings and top students by district and region.
Ngowi, a graduate of computer engineering from the University of Dodoma, seized the opportunity to launch a website, https://iziraa.com/# that now provides in-depth analysis and rankings of educational institutions across the country, allowing parents to identify top schools based on student performance.
Ngowi explains that the idea came to him after noticing the public’s growing demand for school rankings, as many parents sought to enroll their children in the best institutions. With the absence of official rankings, Ngowi saw an opportunity to bridge the gap.
He invested Sh 200,000 to acquire a domain and build his website, a decision that has since paid off. Today, the self-employed entrepreneur earns up to Sh 817,000 per month through the website, which has become a popular resource for Tanzanian parents.
Operating primarily from his home in Arusha’s Njiro ward, Ngowi relies on his smartphone and laptop to manage the platform, avoiding the overhead costs of an office. While he acknowledges the financial challenges that pushed him to venture into self-employment, he credits his ability to self-learn data science online as key to his success. This knowledge has allowed him to develop websites for other clients and monetize his platform through Google AdSense and advertisements.
Ngowi’s site goes beyond simply listing schools—it offers comprehensive information about each institution, including its location, whether it’s a boarding or day school, public or private, and its performance on a national, regional, and district level, all calculated using authentic data from the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (Necta).
His process includes meticulous data screening using Excel, where he pinpoints schools with the best GPAs and highlights gender-based performance, comparing schools based on whether they are co-educational or single-sex.
What sets Ngowi apart is his meticulous attention to detail in tracking the success of both government and private institutions, especially those that accept Form Five students through government selections. His platform doesn’t just list schools; it dives deep into the qualifications of teachers and the teaching methods that drive student success.
Patricia Muller, a WordPress developer, shares how she accessed the best schools for her children through Isra.com: “The website made it so easy to compare schools based on real data. I felt empowered to make informed decisions.” Engineer Michael Clark echoes this sentiment, stating, “Thanks to Ngowi’s platform, I found a school that not only meets academic standards but also aligns with my values as a parent.”
Graphic designer Kent Milestone praises the site’s design and functionality, adding, “I could quickly find the top schools in my area and understand their strengths. It transformed my search process into a straightforward experience.”
Together, these endorsements highlight how Ngowi’s website has become an invaluable resource for parents striving to secure the best educational opportunities for their children.
Despite the government’s move to stop public rankings, Ngowi states that he has never faced any pushback or restrictions. His data, sourced directly from Necta, remains transparent and accurate. While the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology—led by Minister Professor Adolf Mkenda—continues to support Necta’s decision to discontinue national rankings, Ngowi’s independent project thrives, serving a public eager for clarity.
The government’s decision stems from concerns raised by education experts about the fairness of ranking schools based on student numbers. Schools with fewer students who all score high grades would often outrank larger institutions with a mix of results, creating pressure on schools to manipulate their numbers for better rankings.
As Professor Mkenda explained, this system often overlooked other significant factors, such as the quality of education provided by schools that helped underperforming students excel. The new focus would prioritize value addition—how much a school improves its students from the time they enter to the time they leave—rather than simple grade averages.
However, Ngowi’s initiative remains unchallenged by these new policies. His rankings continue to cater to a public eager to know which schools are producing the best results. With plans to expand the website to rank universities both within Tanzania and across Africa, Ngowi is determined to make his platform an indispensable resource for parents, students, and educators alike.
Looking ahead, Ngowi hopes to increase traffic to his website, which he believes will ultimately boost his income. His journey from a frustrated graduate facing limited job prospects to a self-made digital entrepreneur showcases the power of innovation, data, and the growing influence of technology in Tanzania’s education sector.
