Phyllis Muchai wins Teacher of The Year Award 2017
Ms Phillis Wangechi is joined by her students at Mahiga Girls in Nyeri on arrival from Mombasa where she was declared the 2017 Teacher of the Year on June 25, 2017. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
She was competing against eight teachers.
Her Kiswahili class topped the charts in the region.
She improved the school’s mean grade from 8.4 in 2015 to 10.44 last year having attained 42 (As), 64 (A-) and 52 (B+), from 3 (A), 8 (A-) and 36 (B+) in 2015.
Recording an outstanding performance in Kiswahili is what made Phyllis Muchai emerge the winner of Teacher of The Year Award 2017.
The 43-year-old Kiswahili teacher at Mahiga Girls in Nyeri County scooped the award during the just-ended Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Conference in Mombasa.
Upon arrival at the school on Saturday, Ms Muchai was welcomed by colleagues and students who had just returned from a half term break.
“The trophy did not come to me as a surprise. I knew I would win because I had performed very well,” said Ms Muchai.
EIGHT TEACHERS
She was competing against eight teachers.
Her Kiswahili class topped the charts in the region.
Statistics indicate that she improved the school’s mean grade from 8.4 in 2015 to 10.44 last year having attained 42 (As), 64 (A-) and 52 (B+), from 3 (A), 8 (A-) and 36 (B+) in 2015.
She said the results in 2015 were greatly affected by the examination leakages that flooded schools.
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
Her excellence in Kiswahili language has seen her acquire the Askari wa Lugha (language police) title from the students.
Ms Muchai has taught in the school for 15 years and has been the deputy principal for the last seven years.
The teacher wears many hats, from coaching teachers in table tennis, music and being the discipline master.
“I owe my victory to the cooperation with the school community.
We clean the market and join the needy in children’s homes just to impart in the students that sense of caring for the less fortunate. My goal is to produce an all-round student,” she said.
ENCOURAGEMENT
She said the trophy is a source of encouragement as she has served diligently all the years, but also a challenge as she has to ensure she maintains the upward trend.
The head of the Humanities department, Ms Teresia Wanderi said Ms Muchai deserved the trophy.
“She is a wonderful team player and innovative. She is always bringing new ideas for the department and harnesses growth.
She is supportive to everyone, any time. She deserves it,” she said.
