Teachers play a critical role in the development of children and remain critical in sensitizing them on their safety amidst the current spike in femicide cases and crimes meted against women and children.
Addressing over 15,000 head teachers during their AGM meeting in Mombasa, the President’s Advisor on Women’s Rights, Hon. Chiggai Harriette, said teachers are influential leaders in society and help shape morals and values for all
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She called for gender parity in education leadership by providing equal opportunities in teacher recruitment and promotions.
Hon. Chiggai noted that studies indicated children in women-led schools performed better in their examinations given that female teachers are nurturing, understanding, kind, and soft but firm.
“Advancing women’s rights is not just about fairness but economic growth and social development. When women have equal access to education, they contribute to a more innovative and resilient economy”, she said.
She appealed to the teachers to augment Government efforts in curbing unhealthy teacher: student relationships; teenage pregnancies; and high monthly absenteeism rates due to insufficient supply of sanitary products.
On the current changing technological era, the President’s Advisor called for the equipping of schoolgirls with digital skills that will open up leadership opportunities for them in the digital economy.