- Teachers have been invited to submit creative works ahead of this year’s World Teachers’ Day celebrations.
- The entries may include poems, songs, spoken word, stories, narrations and short dramatic pieces.
- Selected works will be published by TSC, with the best showcased during national celebrations at Kasarani.
For decades, Kenyan teachers have stood before classrooms telling stories, building talent and shaping generations. Now, as the teaching profession marks a significant global anniversary, they are being invited to tell their own story.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has opened a national call for teachers to submit poems, songs, spoken-word performances, stories, narrations, short dramatic pieces and other creative works ahead of this year’s World Teachers’ Day celebrations.
The submissions will be guided by the theme, “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures.”
The theme marks the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, which established international benchmarks on teachers’ rights, responsibilities, preparation, employment and working conditions.
Teachers have until September 20, 2026, at 5pm to send their creative works to worldteachersday@tsc.go.ke, with “WTD Creative Submission” as the subject.
TSC says selected pieces will feature on its official platforms, while the best will be showcased during the celebrations.
Teachers given platform to tell their story
For teachers, the initiative offers more than an opportunity to perform.
It provides a platform to put their experiences, creativity and contribution to education at the centre of this year’s World Teachers’ Day observance.
A teacher who spends years helping learners discover their voices can now use poetry, music, storytelling or drama to describe the realities of the profession—from classroom challenges and breakthroughs to the relationships that make teaching more than a job.
The creative call also gives teachers an opportunity to celebrate colleagues whose contribution may not always be captured by examination results but whose influence is felt in schools and communities every day.
World Teachers’ Day is celebrated globally on October 5. UNESCO says the 2026 observance will focus on protecting and advancing the status of teachers as the world marks six decades since adoption of the landmark 1966 recommendation.
Kenya’s national celebrations are scheduled for Monday, October 5, at the Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi.
Outstanding teachers to be recognised
TSC will also recognise outstanding serving and retired teachers through its 2026 World Teachers’ Day awards.
The awards cover registered educators serving or previously serving in primary, junior, secondary and senior schools as well as teacher training colleges.
Categories include Lifetime Achievement, Early Years Educator, Sustainable Development Educator, Early Career Educator, School Leadership Excellence, Inclusive Educator, Child Protection Champion, Co-curricular and Talent Development, Teacher Mentor, Innovation and ICT Integration, Most Resilient Teacher, National Honours and International Recognition.
TSC says the awards are intended to recognise demonstrable contributions to teaching and learning while documenting practices that can be replicated in other institutions.
The celebrations will be preceded by a charity marathon on September 27 across the country’s eight regions, with the event forming part of activities leading to the national celebration. TSC has said funds raised will help support the celebrations.
But the most distinctive feature of this year’s preparations may be the invitation for teachers to speak for themselves.
Rather than having the profession celebrated only through official speeches and awards, TSC is creating space for educators to use their own words, voices and talents to capture what teaching has meant across generations.
READ ALSO: Haki Yetu” protests: Parents should protest peacefully, but leave principal appointments to TSC
As World Teachers’ Day marks 60 years since the international recommendation on the status of teachers, Kenyan educators are being given the microphone—and an opportunity to tell the story from inside the classroom.
By Hillary Muhalya
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