A teacher in Samburu has captured the attention of Kenyans online after a heartwarming photo showed him babysitting a student’s child.
Francis Lesilampa, an educator at Morijo Mixed Day Senior School, took on the unexpected duty so a candidate could sit her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams without disruption.
As seen in the image, Lesilampa stands outside a classroom block calmly holding the infant. The baby rests securely wrapped in a traditional kikoi across his chest, with their face hidden to protect their privacy.
The act has quickly attracted massive praise from the public.
Supporting young mothers through school
Young mothers face many harsh conditions when trying to finish school. Balancing academic pressure with a newborn is a tough hurdle, especially during a demanding national exam period.
The KCSE exams dictate the next steps in a Kenyan student’s life, making the period highly stressful even without the added responsibility of childcare. In rural regions like Samburu, these challenges are often magnified by a lack of support structures for young parents.
Kenya’s Ministry of Education guidelines encourage school re-entry for teenage mothers, a policy aimed at securing the right to education for all minors. However, daily implementation on the ground often relies heavily on the goodwill of school administrators and teachers.
Research supports the need for community interventions to keep teen parents in school.
A study published in the International Journal of Adolescence and Youth highlights this struggle, noting, “The dual role of being a student and a mother is often overwhelming, leading to high dropout rates among adolescent mothers.”
The researchers further explain that to counter this trend, “supportive school environments and empathetic teachers play a crucial role in enabling young mothers to continue and complete their education.”
Lesilampa offered exactly this kind of support. His hands-on help gave the candidate the peace of mind she needed to tackle her exam papers.
Kenyans have commended the teacher for going well beyond his job description to help a student secure their future, and that of their child.
