47 TSC County Directors Beaconised .

Friday 17 May 2019 marks the end of a five day training for 47 Teachers Service Commission County Directors. This well attended meeting at Alps Hotel, Nakuru County managed to bring the teacher managers on board in matters Gender, Disability and Child Protection. This was necessitated by the very high statistics that have been doing rounds of school going girls getting pregnant, under age marriages, FGM among many other I’ll metted on children. With Counties like Kilifi recording abnormally high numbers of teenage pregnancy most education stakeholders NGOs and duty bearers are equally worried.

In this meeting Beacon teachers,also attended to showcase the challenges in their respective counties but most importantly to share the SUCCESS STORY that is the Beacon teachers Movement. Robert Omwa,HSC- Kisumu, Sarah Abdalla- Kilifi, John Omondi- representing UPBET schools from Nairobi’s informal settlement, Mose Katarian- Kajiado and Milton O.T represented the Secondary schools and Kajiado County. These children defenders confidently put across the successes and challenges of the Movement. By the time they were through the participants all agreed that this Beacon idea should have been escalated to the whole country like yesterday. The CDs promised to do all possible in their capacity to ensure that beacons in their counties are facilitated and the new ones formed.Mr. Mumin Ibrahim, TSC Director of Administration when opening the session reiterated the fact that the Commission is ready to support the County Directors in their pursuit to protect the Kenyan child, who is the ultimate consumer of the TSC product.”The Commission is not going to have kind words to anybody who violates the rights of the Child.” he added..This meeting was made possible by a host of partners working closely with Gender, Diabilty and Child protection department headed by Zipporah Musengi working with Mirriam Kathambi and Jasper Wambua. Zipporah using her organization process managed to bring on board CREAW, GVRC,Plan International, I choose Life,Anti-FGM Commission, Nairobi Women’s Hospital among others.So as the TSC CDs leave to go back to their counties and in turn fire up their colleagues and teachers to speak out for children, they go with a wealth of knowledge on Gender and Disability, Legislations that protect the child, Duties of different stakeholders in child protection, Drug abuse, Mentorship and a Standard Common Operating for all the Beacon teachers and child protection champions in schools.”Deciding to work to stand and speak out for the child is a very tasking job. It is not a walk in the park. It has it’s challenges. I can compare it dancing with the Gorillas. So I take this chance to welcome you to the Gorilla dance. And when the dance starts, it never ends” Mr Sam the CEO of Nairobi Women’s Hospital said challenging the CDs to take up the challenge.