Shallom Maweu Sila, a teacher from Machakos, has been shortlisted among the top 50 finalists for the 2026 Global Teacher Prize, a Sh130 million international award that recognizes outstanding educators making a transformative impact in their communities.
Sila, who teaches physics and chemistry at St Francis Misyani Girls High School in Kangundo, is the only Kenyan selected from more than 5,000 nominations and applications across 139 countries.
The award, often described as the “Nobel Prize for Teaching”, will be presented in February 2026 in Dubai.
According to the Global Teacher Prize citation, Sila has reshaped STEM learning for girls in rural Machakos through innovative, technology‑driven and learner‑centred teaching methods.
Since joining St Francis Misyani Girls in 2014, physics enrolment at the school has risen from 9 per cent in 2016 to more than 40 per cent in 2025, the highest increase recorded in the county.
He is also a leading advocate of virtual laboratories such as Harvard University’s LabXchange and integrates simulations, robotics, coding, videos and AI tools into his lessons using inquiry‑based and problem‑based learning approaches.
Sila gained national prominence during the COVID‑19 school closures when he volunteered to teach online using Zoom and Microsoft Teams. What began with two learners grew into a remote learning programme reaching more than 10,000 students weekly within 17 weeks. The Teachers Service Commission later adopted the model as a formal digital learning framework and appointed him as a national trainer in digital pedagogy.
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Beyond the classroom, Sila co‑founded a school‑based education fund that supports more than 150 needy girls annually with partial scholarships, sanitary towels and stationery. He has also led environmental projects in biogas, solar energy and tree planting, initiatives that have cut the school’s energy costs by 30 per cent.
More than 50 of his former students are now pursuing STEM‑related courses in universities and technical colleges, many returning to mentor younger girls and challenge stereotypes that science subjects are male‑dominated.
This latest recognition caps a remarkable year for the Machakos educator. In early 2025, he was named First Runners‑Up for the African Union Continental Best Teacher Award, and in October, the Teachers Service Commission honoured him during World Teachers’ Day celebrations for exemplary national service.
Sila said the nomination reflects the resilience of Kenyan teachers. “The recognition belongs to teachers across Kenya who continue to serve under challenging conditions,” he said. If Sila wins the global award, he plans to establish a makerspace and a Community ICT and Innovation Hub in Machakos to expand digital access and nurture young inventors.
By Masaki Enock
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