Held annually on October 5th, the United Nations’ World Teachers’ Day commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Teachers, and celebrates the crucial role teachers play around the world in providing quality education and learning for all.
As we celebrate World Teachers’ Day, at Kakenya’s Dream we are thankful for our inspiring teachers who are shaping our future leaders and changemakers each and every day at the Kakenya Centers for Excellence (KCE I and II). Each year, UNESCO highlights a particular theme for World Teachers’ Day. This years’ theme, “The right to education means the right to a qualified teacher,” serves as a crucial reminder that fundamental to any decent education, are properly trained and qualified teachers. At Kakenya’s Dream, the caliber and passion of our teachers for shaping the minds and futures of our girls is unmatched.
World Teachers’ Day also goes hand in hand with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” On this occasion, it is important both to celebrate the progress made toward achieving education for all, and reflect on ways to overcome the remaining challenges that stand before us.
Across the world, we continue to face a teacher shortage; UNESCO’s Institute of Statistics reports that globally, nearly 69 million new teachers must be recruited in order to achieve the SDG 4 targets of universal primary and secondary education by 2030, and, it is estimated that still today there are 264 million children and youth out of school globally. Among vulnerable populations including girls, children with disabilities, those living in poverty, and those living in rural and remote areas, these disparities are even more pronounced.
At Kakenya’s Dream, we are committed to tackling these challenges head-on. We dedicate the resources necessary to educate and empower the most vulnerable girls, their families, and communities in rural Kenya, and we are grateful for the caring, capable hands our girls are in with our committed teaching staff. With small class sizes and attentive teachers who ensure that every student receives personalized attention, no student is ever left behind at KCE I and II.
Our educators and mentors inspire and shape the dreams of our students, and help them develop the skills necessary to achieve their dreams and become leaders inside the classroom and beyond. This is the power of Kakenya’s Dream, and it simply would not be possible without our amazing teachers and network of mentors. When asked what makes our schools special, Mr. Kipkorir, one of our math and science teachers responded, “Here, girls are empowered to become the very best.”
In appreciation for educators like Mr. Kipkorir, and the rest of our hardworking teachers, make a gift today to be a part of our incredible movement.
