Peter Mokaya Tabichi, OFM (born 1982) is a Kenyan science teacher and

Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

friar A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the o ...

at Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani,

Nakuru County Nakuru County is a county in Kenya. It is County number 32 out of the 47 Kenyan Counties. Nakuru County is a host to Kenya's Forth City – Nakuru City. On 1 December 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta awarded a City Charter status to Nakuru, rank ...

. Pwani, located in Nakuru County is most of the time confused with another Pwani which is located in the coastal region. He is the winner of the 2019

Global Teacher Prize The Global Teacher Prize is an annual US$1 million award by the Varkey Foundation to a teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession.Brain, Rondinelli"Now There's A Davos Of Education And A $1 Million 'Nobel Prize' For Teache ...

. Tabichi was cited as one of the Top 100 most influential Africans by

New African ''New African'' is an English-language monthly news magazine based in London. Published since 1966, it is read by many people across the African continent and the African diaspora. It claims to be the oldest pan-African monthly in English, as well ...

magazine in 2019.

Early life and education

Tabichi was born in rural Kenya. He said he was inspired to become a teacher because of his family, "I admired the impact they had in the society, and wanted to better their script". He started his teaching career in a private school.

Career

Tabichi is a

friar. He joined the Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in 2016, where he teaches maths and physics. The school is located in a semi-arid village in the

Rift Valley Province Rift Valley Province ( sw, Mkoa wa Bonde la Ufa) of Kenya, bordering Uganda, was one of Kenya's eight provinces, before the Kenyan general election, 2013. Rift Valley Province was the largest and one of the most economically important provinces ...

, a region impacted by famine and drought. Tabichi donates 80% of his salary to supporting pupils in the Pwani Village. The school population is made up of seven different tribes, with around 95% of students living in poverty and one third live with only one parent. Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School only has one computer, intermittent access to the internet and a student-teacher ratio of 58:1. Tabichi launched the Talent Nurturing Club, which has dramatically improved attendance. He also established a peace club, uniting representatives who have been involved with violence. He engages with local communities; teaching residents how to grow crops that can resist famine. Tabichi and his students work on renewable energy and devices which can support people with disabilities. Under Tabichi's influence, his students have reached the finals of the

Intel International Science and Engineering Fair The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is an annual science fair in the United States. It is owned and administered by the Society for Science, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. Each May, more ...

and won an award from the

Royal Society of Chemistry The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is a learned society (professional association) in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemistry, chemical sciences". It was formed in 1980 from the amalgamation of the Chemical Society, the Ro ...

. In only a couple of years, Tabichi has doubled the number of students attending university. In 2019 Tabichi was awarded the $1 million

. The award receives over 10,000 nominations. Tabichi travelled on an aeroplane for the first time to collect the prize in

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics ...

. He was presented the prize by

Hugh Jackman Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian actor. Beginning in theatre and television, he landed his breakthrough role as James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine in the 20th Century Fox ''X-Men'' film series (2000–2017), a role ...

, and congratulated by

Uhuru Kenyatta Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta (born 26 October 1961) is a Kenyan politician who served as the fourth president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. Kenyatta was chosen by Daniel Arap Moi as his preferred successor, but Kenyatta was defeated by opposition ...

"Peter – your story is the story of Africa; a young continent bursting with talent. Your students have shown that they can compete amongst the best in the world in science, technology and all fields of human endeavour.”

On winning the prize, Tabichi said;

"Africa will produce scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs whose names will be one day famous in every corner of the world. And girls will be a huge part of this story,"

In April 2019, Tabichi was appointed as Champion for Children in Conflicts and Crisis.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tabichi, Peter Recipients of the Global Teacher Prize Kenyan Roman Catholics Friars Minor Kenyan educators Living people 1982 births People from Nyamira County Catholic clergy scientists