The Kenya Education Fund recently hosted an educators conference in Karen, Nairobi. This five-day event brought together 80 teachers from different parts of the country where schools host students supported by the KEF scholarship. As such, the 2024 Teachers Conference more than adequately underscores the continuing efforts and commitment by KEF to deepening existing relationships with schools and increasing support for bright but disadvantaged students.
Key Focus Areas of the Conference
Since 2011, KEF has awarded scholarships to over 4,000 high school and university students from underprivileged backgrounds. Fully cognizant of the special challenges these students face, the conference aimed to arm liaison teachers—the keystone liaison between KEF and the schools—with knowledge and skills for effectively guiding the scholars.
The event featured a comprehensive lineup of sessions covering essential topics such as:
- Mental Health and Stress Management: The participants were equipped with the basic ways of promoting mental health and stress management among their students.
- Supportive Conversations and Basic Counselling: Chiromo Hospital Group professionals provided a discussion on how best to facilitate supportive conversations and basic counselling with students.
Testimonials and Partnerships
James Maloba, who teaches at Koru Girls High School, attending his 10th KEF liaison conference, praised the event since it held very valuable content. “This year’s content is very crucial to teachers, and I will be able to enhance the mental wellbeing of my students,” he said.
The same conference also brought out the collaboration between KEF and the KCB Foundation. Stephen Matee, the Senior Programmes Manager at KCB Foundation, underscored the need for mentorship with the assertion, “We partnered with peak performance to increase the capacity of our teachers.”
Adapting to Educational Reforms
Much of the conference was devoted to discussing the transition from 8-4-4 to the Competency-Based Curriculum. This change means that KEF’s scholarships will, in format, shift: the four years of high school would turn into three years of senior high. Teachers had a chance to deliberate on these changes and advise on how best to adjust.
The 2024 Teacher Conference spoke only to reinforce strides made by KEF in continuing to support poor students through robust partnerships with schools, making sure these students are getting what they need to succeed.