Wednesday, December
17,2025 - Shalom Maweu Sila, a Chemistry and Physics teacher at St Francis
Misyani Girls High School in Machakos, has been shortlisted among the Top 50
finalists for the 2026 Global Teacher Prize, a prestigious award worth about
Ksh 129 million (USD 1 million).
Sila has been recognised for his transformative work in
learning innovation, digital education, and empowering girls in STEM, reshaping
education in rural Machakos County.
Since joining the school in 2014, he has pioneered
learner-centred and technology-driven teaching methods that have boosted girls’
participation in Physics and Chemistry-subjects often seen as male-dominated.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sila collaborated with 300
volunteer teachers to deliver online lessons via Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
The initiative was later adopted by the Government as a
formal learning-continuity model, with Sila appointed as a national master
trainer for Remote Learning Methodologies.
At St Francis, he has introduced virtual labs, gamified
learning, robotics, coding, and AI into classrooms.
Girls’ enrolment in Physics rose from 9% in 2016 to 43% in
2025, with improved performance across the board.
Beyond academics, he co-founded a school-based Education
Foundation that has provided scholarships and essential supplies to over 150
girls, while mentoring students through STEM Ambassadors and psycho-social
support groups.
If awarded the prize, Sila plans to build a state-of-the-art
makerspace and establish the region’s first Community ICT and Innovation Hub.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) congratulated him, describing his selection as “an incredible achievement” and a milestone for Kenyan educators globally.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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