Kenya Education Fund (KEF) has convened a conference bringing together teachers from schools whose students are beneficiaries of its scholarship programme.
The Successful 2024 Teacher Conference in Karen, Nairobi seeks to reaffirm KEF’s commitment to partnerships with schools.
The event has brought together 80 teachers from 80 schools across the country, all of whom play a crucial role in supporting KEF-sponsored students.
Since its inception 11 years ago, KEF has provided scholarships to over 4,000 underprivileged high school and university students.
KEF noted that sponsored students face unique challenges, whose vulnerabilities often require greater involvement of teachers.
The conference aimed to equip liaison teachers, who are the primary point of contact between KEF and schools, with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively support these students while also enhancing their own professional development.
The conference featured a comprehensive lineup of sessions covering essential topics, including mental health and stress management, supportive conversations and basic counselling techniques among others.
" This is my 10th liaison conference with KEF,” said James Maloba from Koru Girls.
"I always look forward to this conference because I always learn something new to add to my skills. KEF is currently educating 15 girls in Koru who are doing very well. This year's content is extremely important to teachers, I will be able to enhance the mental well-being of my students,” he added.
KCB Foundation has partnered with KEF in the programme.
" KCB Foundation noted a gap in mentorship thus we partnered with peak performance to increase the capacity of our teachers,” said Stephen Matee, KCB Foundation senior programmes manager education, while addressing the teachers at the conference.
The counselling sessions, facilitated by professionals from Chiromo Hospital Group, provided teachers with the skills to support students in realising their potential and identifying areas where they need assistance.
Given that boarding school students spend approximately 70 per cent of their time in school, teachers often serve as guardians and role models.
The session emphasised the vast benefits of mentorship, both for students and teachers.
The ongoing transition from the 8-4-4 system to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) was another key focus of the conference.
This shift will significantly impact the structure of scholarships provided by KEF, moving from four years of high school to three years of senior high school.
The conference provided an opportunity for teachers to discuss and recommend strategies for adapting to these changes.