Kenyan Teacher Wins $1 million Varkey Global Teacher Prize

Peter Tabichi, a teacher from Kenya was announced winner of the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize. He was honored by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin RAhsid Al MAktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Hollywood Actor, Hugh Jackman during the closing ceremony of the Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) at Atlantis, The Palm Hotel, Dubai.

He was selected from over 10,000 nominees and applications from 179 countries around the world. He made it to the top 10, screened out from a shortlist of 50 in December last year. The award is the largest prize of its kind and is awarded annually to an exceptional teacher who has made outstanding contributions to the teaching profession. It comes with a $1 million fund.

Peter is a Math and Physics teacher at Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani Village, Kenya who gives 80% of his salary to provide uniforms and books for the poor. The school which has only has one computer with poor internet connection, is full of students from poor families and orphans. Students walk 7km along muddy roads during the rainy season to reach the school.

He started a talent nurturing club and expanded the school’s Science Club, which has now helped pupils design research projects that has qualified for national competitions. At the Kenya Science and Engineering Fair 2018, his students showcased a device they had invented to allow blind and deaf people measure objects. His school came first in the national public schools category and the Mathematical Science team also qualified to participate at INTEL Science and Engineering Fair 2019 to be held in Arizona, USA. His students have also won an award from The Royal Society of Chemistry for using local plants to generate electricity.

Peter, alongside four colleagues organize personal tutorials for low performing pupils on weekends. Despite poor internet, Peter uses 80% ICT in his lessons to teach students. He visits the internet cafes to download online contents for his science lesson. The environment, once identified with drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, dropouts, and early marriages has now greatly changed. Enrolment has doubled over a period of three years and cases of indiscipline have fallen from 30 per week to just three. Many students are now going to colleges and universities in spite of the school’s limited resources.

He teaches at a rural Kenyan school in Pwani Village, with only one computer, poor internet and a student-teacher ratio of 58:1. Nearly all his students are from poor families, and almost a third of them are orphans or have only one parent. Tabichi gets online educational content by visiting internet cafes and using them offline in class, according to his profile from the Varkey Foundation.

In a speech, Peter said his mother died when he was just 11. He was raised by his father, a primary school teacher.

“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,” he said.

“Everyday in Africa, we turn a new page and a new chapter. Today is another day,” Tabichi told the foundation. “This prize does not recognize me but recognizes this great continent’s young people. Africa’s young people will no longer be held back by low expectations. Africa will produce scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs whose names will be one day famous in every corner of the world. And girls will be a huge part of this story.”

Brother Peter was congratulated by Kenya’s president, Uhuru Kenyatta. “Peter – your story is the story of Africa, a young continent bursting with talent. Your students have shown that they can compete amongst the best in the world in science, technology and all fields of human endeavour,” said the Kenyan president.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sarah Bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, thanked one of her eighth grade teachers for inspiring her to reach her full potential and also all teachers who continue to encourage students, including her son’s teacher.

The founder of the prize, Sunny Varkey, says he hopes Brother Peter’s story “will inspire those looking to enter the teaching profession and shine a powerful spotlight on the incredible work teachers do all over Kenya and throughout the world every day”.

“The thousands of nominations and applications we received from every corner of the planet is a testimony to the achievements of teachers and the enormous impact they have on all of our lives,” he says.