Kibera Secondary School teachers from Glory, New Horizons and John Paul II high schools successfully attended a 3-day Teachers Self Image (TSI) program ran by the School of Humanities and Social Studies (SHSS). The program which runs under the Teachers Enhancement Program (TEP) is aimed at improving teacher skills with the hope of improving students learning outcomes. The program ran concurrently with Macheo tuition that has been ongoing at the university during school holidays, offered to kibera high school students.

 

TEP is a program set to give participants an understanding of different leadership styles and tools for effective financial management, improving teacher student relationship maintenance and management of the school facilities. As part of giving back to the educational sector and society, Strathmore University frequently holds leadership training sessions for heads & deputies from high schools across Kenya. After completing the training, it is hoped that the teachers will in turn use these skills to transform their schools into centers of excellence.

 

TEP began in 2003 following the free primary education system that had just been introduced in the country. Through the new education system, teachers who were overwhelmed with the large numbers of students per class needed training that would improve their abilities owing to the crowded classes. The program initially trained head teachers from primary schools in the different provinces, but has since grown to accommodate head teachers deputies and principals and their deputies from secondary schools.

 

TEP also run the Art of Leadership program for 5days to enhance the head teachers and their deputy. They would learn on; leadership skills, teaching values, challenges in school, financial management, work ethics, coordinating role of parents and management of school environment. So far, head teachers and their deputies, principals and their deputies, personnel from education office, county education officials, tutors from teachers training colleges, and education secretaries have benefitted from this program. TEP aims to improve schools not only academically but in human standards.

 

After successfully training head teachers, SHSS decided to introduce TSI for classroom teachers of both primary and secondary schools. The teachers are taken through the same training as the head teachers excluding financial management sessions while including stress management.

 

About 3000 teachers have been trained so far, who have been referred or volunteered by county education secretaries, school owners, Strathmore alumni among other referrals.

 

The Kibera slums TSI program involved training the teachers on the following;

• Functions of the teacher
• The teachers’ image
• Reclaiming value system
• Work Ethics
• Working with Parents