Teacher Viona Koyie’s classroom is lively, despite its humble setup in the mountains of Entasikiria in Narok South, Kenya. The surrounding mountains provide a rich backdrop of Maasai culture and wildlife.
Teacher Viona Koyie is a teacher and part of ‘Operation Come to School.’ This education campaign has been bringing primary age out of school children back into the classroom since 2015.
The programme, ran by UNICEF, the Government of Kenya and partners, held enrollment drives in the community, where children had dropped out due to cultural or economic pressures.
The walls of Entasikiria Primary School are adorned with Viona’s colorful and engaging educational posters she created herself. Her class size reaches 50 learners, but she knows each student by name and understands their unique needs and challenges.
Teacher Viona is committed to ensuring every learner in this community stays in school and works hard towards a more promising future.
She embodies resilience and passion and uses innovative teaching methods to engage her students through stories, songs, riddles and hands-on activities.
“I encourage the learners to dream big and work hard like me to achieve their goals,” she said, reflecting on her own journey from a pastoralist community where few girls could attend school. Teacher Viona acknowledges her parents’ pivotal role in defying cultural norms and supporting her education, from primary through to Teachers Training College.
Despite numerous challenges, including limited resources and long hours, Ms Viona’s passion for teaching and commitment to her students never waiver.
The power of education has been transformative, because even in a patriarchal society, she now plays a central role in supporting her parents back home.
“I am grateful my parents went against the norm and sent me to school. Today, they are pleased when I send back money to support their everyday expenses,” said Viona, who is also married to a teacher.
Operation Come-to-School enrolled more than half a million out of school children in two phases. The first phase of the programme, 2015 to 2019, regitered 349,460 pupils (164,246 girls and185,214 boys) while the second phase registered 246,168 pupils (117,890 girls and 138,278 boys through community enrollment drives in primary school across 16 counties with the lowest enrolment rates, including representative numbers of boys, girls, and children with disabilities.
The programme was delivered by UNICEF in partnership with the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, Hapag Lloyd, the Government of Kenya and local implementing partners.
The partnership included enrolment drives as well as school desks, bags, and stationery, helping to accommodate extra students, as well as support for retention and follow up on pupils’ attendance.
Narok County County Director of Education Apollo Apuko discusses the Out-of-School programme and the impact in the region.
County Director of Education Apollo Apuko, attributes school drop outs in Narok County to gender and cultural barriers, inadequate infrastructure and lack of desks and school supplies.
He describes how the partnership has enrolled over a quarter of a million children in schools in the past three years alone.
“Narok County continually needs collaborative support to bring back girls who are at home performing domestic chores or have been married off, as well as boys who are herding livestock instead of attending school,” said Mr. Apuko.
Entasikiria Comprehensive Primary School deputy headteacher Ann Keiwua during at interview at the school.
The rise in children returning to school was largely driven by community dialogues led by local administrators, such as chiefs, who persuaded parents and guardians about the importance of education.
“The pupils were also encouraged to return because of the friendly, engaging, and welcoming environment created by both their peers and teachers,” she said.
Elizabeth Waitha, Education Officer at UNICEF Kenya, says Operation Come to School , which ran from 2015 to 2023 and was extended in 2024, increased access to equitable and inclusive quality education by targeting the most vulnerable and hard to reach communities.
The role of teachers and school administration in continuous monitoring and follow-up with pupils, families and caregivers has been crucial in ensuring children stayed in school even after re-enrollment.
“The teachers also offered psychosocial first aid as some of the out-of-school children have been exposed to trauma, which made it difficult for them to concentrate in class as their mental state was not stable. Teachers have been trained to identify learners requiring support and refer cases to children’s services for further support, when required,” explains Waitha.
Even after the programme has concluded, teachers such as Teacher Viona, with support from other education stakeholders and partners, continue to play a critical role in ensuring that the gains made in bringing children back to school and learning are lasting.
Teacher Viona’s own story is one of resilience, dedication, and shows the profound impact a committed teacher can have on the lives of children in remote areas.
With ongoing support for every learner to remain in school, learn and thrive, her dedication to fostering a positive and inspiring learning environment will encourage learners to dream big and hopefully realize their fullest potential.
