Kenya Taps Diaspora Teachers’ Global Experience to Boost Education

Kenya is seeking to use the expertise of teachers living abroad to strengthen early childhood education and support skills transfer, with a recent workshop in Nairobi highlighting the potential of play-based learning.

The ‘Case for Play’ workshop at Kilimani Junior Academy brought together educators to examine how play supports children’s social, emotional and cognitive development. The event was led by Njeri Gachathi, a Kenyan teacher based in New York. Her decade of teaching experience in Vietnam and the United States provided a comparative perspective on classroom practices in different education systems.

For the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, the workshop was also an example of how international expertise can be brought into Kenya’s education sector. Officials said such engagements support wider government efforts to facilitate the transfer of skills, knowledge and technology from Kenyans living abroad.

The initiative is linked to the Mwalimu Majuu programme, a structured labour mobility framework that connects Kenyan teachers with opportunities overseas while seeking to ensure that the skills they gain benefit the country. The programme aims to create opportunities for professional exchange, allowing teachers to gain international experience while contributing to Kenya’s education system.  It positions diaspora teachers as both international professionals and a resource for national development. 

The workshop’s focus on play-based learning reflects growing recognition of its role in children’s academic and developmental progress. In Kenya, early childhood education can be affected by limited resources and traditional teaching approaches. Insights from teachers working abroad could support the adoption of more holistic methods suited to local needs.