Kenyan teacher Peter Tabichi, who won the $1 million Global Teacher Prize 2019, was in London last week inspiring British STEM teachers at the capital’s Science Museum. Peter teaches science at the Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani Village, situated in a remote, semi-arid part of Kenya’s Rift Valley. Here, students from a host of diverse cultures and religions learn in poorly equipped classrooms. His dedication, hard work and passionate belief in his student’s talent has led his poorly-resourced school in remote rural Kenya to emerge victorious after taking on the country’s best schools in national science competitions.
Hosted by Susan Raikes, Director of Learning at the Science Museum Group, Peter took part in a Science Museum Group Academy interactive session, including ‘Mystery Boxes’, a hands on activity for the classroom around science skills. He also engaged in a round table discussion with fellow science teachers debating topics including how schools and informal learning environments can work together to maximise the impact of STEM experiences for the widest possible audience; the challenges of low engagement with science and how we can improve this; how to engage students’ families in science and how we can diversify who contributes and participates in science and innovation to create a fairer, more inclusive society
Speaking about the event Peter said “I never knew that a museum like this could exist and that there are resources for improving science engagement. I learnt a lot and will take back many ideas that I can use with my own students”.
“Seeing my learners grow in knowledge, skills and confidence is my greatest joy in teaching! When they become resilient, creative and productive in the society, I get a lot of satisfaction for I act as their greatest destiny enabler and key that unlocks their potential in the most exciting manner.”
About Peter Tabichi
Peter Tabichi is a Kenyan science teacher and Franciscan friar at the Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani Village. He is the winner of the 2019 Global Teacher Prize. Tabichi was born in rural Kenya. He said he was inspired to become a teacher because of his family, “I admired the impact they had in the society, and wanted to better their script”. He started his teaching career in a private school. Peter now gives away 80% of his monthly income to help the poor.
Peter teaches at Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani Village, situated in a remote, semi-arid part of Kenya’s Rift Valley. Here, students from a host of diverse cultures and religions learn in poorly equipped classrooms.His dedication, hard work and passionate belief in his student’s talent has led his poorly-resourced school in remote rural Kenya to emerge victorious after taking on the country’s best schools in national science competitions.
Their lives can be tough in a region where drought and famine are frequent. 95% of pupils hail from poor families, almost a third are orphans or have only one parent, and many go without food at home. Drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, dropping out early from school, young marriages and suicide are common.
Turning lives around in a school with only one computer, poor internet, and a student-teacher ratio of 58:1, is no easy task, not least when to reach the school, students must walk 7km along roads that become impassable in the rainy season.
Peter started a talent nurturing club and expanded the school’s Science Club, helping pupils design research projects of such quality that 60% now qualify for national competitions. Peter mentored his pupils through the Kenya Science and Engineering Fair 2018 – where students showcased a device they had invented to allow blind and deaf people to measure objects. Peter saw his village school come first nationally in the public schools category. The Mathematical Science team also qualified to participate at the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair 2019 in Arizona, USA, for which they’re currently preparing. His students have also won an award from The Royal Society of Chemistry after harnessing local plant life to generate electricity.
Peter and four colleagues also give low-achieving pupils one-to-one tuition in Maths and Science outside class and on the weekends, where Peter visits students’ homes and meets their families to identify the challenges they face. Despite teaching in a school with only one desktop computer with an intermittent connection, Peter uses ICT in 80% of his lessons to engage students, visiting internet cafes and caching online content to be used offline in class. Through making his students believe in themselves, Peter has dramatically improved his pupils’ achievement and self-esteem. Enrolment has doubled to 400 over three years, and cases of indiscipline have fallen from 30 per week to just three. In 2017, only 16 out of 59 students went on to college, while in 2018, 26 students went to university and college. Girls’ achievement in particular has been boosted, with girls now leading boys in all four tests set in the last year.
About the Global Teacher Prize
The Global Teacher Prize is an annual US $1 million award by the Varkey Foundation to a teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession. Nominations of teachers who meet specific criteria are open to the worldwide public, and teachers can also nominate themselves.
For further information, or to nominate, visit https://www.globalteacherprize.org/