This archive report was first published on 5 October 2019.
On World Teachers Day, Kenya celebrates its global icon Peter Tabichi, who has made a name for himself among world leaders. Tabichi, a math and science teacher at Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Nakuru County, won the 2019 Global Teacher Prize for his dedication.
Since then, he has rubbed shoulders with the high and mighty, including US President Donald Trump, whom he met in 2019. Tabichi also attended the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and has been visiting various learning and corporate institutions in the UK to give talks on his experience and aspirations as a teacher.
Tabichi had the honour of opening the US Congress with the Franciscan prayer for peace in Washington DC and shared his views with President Trump on the importance of supporting science and education in Africa.
“It was a great honour and privilege to meet the US President. I was quite happy and I took the opportunity to tell him about where and how I teach. I told him about Kenya and the challenges we go through and how a teacher comes in to offer solutions,” he said of his meeting with Trump.
Tabichi emphasized the importance of teaching as a noble profession and encouraged President Trump to promote science and education in Africa.
At the UNGA, Tabichi said it was a privilege to sit next to global leaders, education ministers, and development agencies. He shared his experience with the aspiration that his colleagues in the profession will do better.
Tabichi urged governments not to take teaching lightly, saying that they can achieve and leapfrog the true potential of Africa’s youth.
