Kenyan teacher shortlisted for Sh100 million award
By: Judith Mutua
Posted on Friday, March 20, 2020
A Kenyan teacher has been included in the top 50 shortlist for the Sh100 million Global Teacher Prize 2020. Biology and Chemistry teacher Linah Anyango from Changamwe Secondary School, Mombasa, Kenya, has been included in the top 50 shortlist for the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2020 in partnership with UNESCO – to ensure teachers are right at the top of government’s agendas.
Shortlisted…
Linah Anyango, shortlisted for the Global Teacher Prize 2020, was selected from over 12,000 nominations and applications from over 140 countries around the world. Now in its sixth year, the Sh100 million award is the largest prize of its kind. Incidentally, last year’s winner is celebrated Kenyan Mathematics and Physics teacher Mr. Peter Tabichi. He is based at at Keriko Secondary School in Nakuru County.
When contacted, Tabichi had this to say about the latest development:
“I am so proud that a Kenyan teacher has been shortlisted for the Global Teacher Prize 2020. Winning the prize last year was such an honor, but more than that it was a tremendous platform to help me promote STEM learning among young people in Africa. Linah Anyango is doing just that in the incredible work she does every day and I wish her the very best.”
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) club…
Linah Anyango was determined to do all she could to turn around the sense of hopelessness and low self-esteem felt by so many of the students at her school when she arrived 10 years ago. She started a cultural music club which enabled the students to open up, share and appreciate each other’s culture. The club also celebrates the beauty in their diversity, thus promoting peace among them and reducing radicalization which was already a big problem in the coastal region.
Since girls were performing poorly in Sciences, Linah started a girl only STEM club to inspire them take up subjects that would lead to careers in the fields after high school. Members get trained on skills such as computer programming and web development in an effort to demystify Information Technology. Her efforts have worked wonders at the school notably the increase in the number of girls taking up physics from none in 2017 to 22 in 2019. Her students have gained enough confidence in themselves to participate in various STEM fairs and competitions.
Global Recognition
Linah’s efforts have seen her train and coach more than 200 teachers from the region on ICT Infusion within schools. It did not take long for Global Software Giant Microsoft to take notice; the company selected and trained her as a Microsoft Educator Expert and Trainer. Other global tech firms that have had contact with hardworking teacher from Changamwe are Unity, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter.
The shortlist of 50 has representatives from 37 countries. By highlighting their stories, the Varkey Foundation hopes that the public will be able to join in on the passionate debates about the importance of teachers. The list will be narrowed down to ten finalist teachers by a Prize Committee in June 2020. A winner will then be announced after by the Global Teacher Prize Academy at a red carpet ceremony at the Natural History Museum in London on the evening of Monday 12th October 2020
Linah holds a Master of Science Degree in Applied Analytical Chemistry from Kenyatta University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education (Biology and Chemistry) from Maseno University.
Ms. Linah Anyango - wife, mother of three (2 sons and a daughter) and most importantly; more than a teacher. Everyone here at Switch TV celebrates you and wishes you well. Keep at it.
