Diaspora Teachers to Support Kenya’s Education Sector Through MwalimuMajuu

Kenya is exploring ways to involve teachers and education professionals living abroad in strengthening the country’s education sector, with discussions in New York focusing on skills and technology transfer.

Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu met Kenyan educator Njeri Gachathi in New York on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Gachathi, who is based in New York, founded the “Kids for Play” summer programme, which she brings to Kenya each year to give children opportunities to learn through creative and play-based activities.

The State Department for Diaspora Affairs said the meeting focused on skills and technology transfer, particularly through the MwalimuMajuu initiative. The government framework seeks to connect Kenyan teachers living abroad with opportunities to contribute to education and development at home.

Gachathi’s work was cited as an example of how diaspora professionals can introduce new programmes and teaching approaches in Kenya. Her “Kids for Play” programme uses play-based learning to support children’s development and provide an alternative to more traditional methods that rely heavily on rote instruction.

Play-based learning is increasingly recognised as an important part of early education because it can support children’s cognitive and social development. In Kenya, where early childhood education continues to face resource constraints, such initiatives could provide opportunities to introduce different teaching practices and approaches.

The MwalimuMajuu initiative is intended to provide a broader framework for these efforts by creating links between Kenyan professionals abroad and national development priorities. The government aims to establish mechanisms that can identify diaspora expertise and connect it with needs in Kenya.