Why teacher wellbeing must become a sustained priority and

Astiba Kebong’o reflects on the fellowship and recreation she witnessed during the Nyanza Region Teachers’ Open Day.
She argues that teacher wellbeing should become a sustained professional priority rather than an occasional celebration.
Kebong’o also proposes a national conversation on whether October 5 should become a public holiday honouring teachers.

What I witnessed during the Nyanza Region Teachers’ Open Day made me realise that those who spend their lives inspiring others also need opportunities to be inspired.

I have read and written several pieces on World Teachers’ Day and the importance of recognising teachers. Yet what I witnessed during this year’s celebration in Nyanza Region gave the occasion a different meaning.

There was music, dancing, a field day, laughter and fellowship. Teachers stepped away from lesson preparation, assessment, meetings and administrative responsibilities and simply enjoyed one another’s company.

For once, they were not organising activities for learners. They were participating in them.

They danced, mingled, displayed their talents and relaxed.

It was a refreshing reminder that behind every teacher is a human being who needs time to breathe, connect and recharge.

Teaching is an intellectually demanding and emotionally intensive profession. Teachers do much more than deliver curriculum content. They nurture talent, shape character, mentor learners, identify potential and provide guidance to children navigating different challenges.

Their responsibilities also extend beyond the classroom. Lesson preparation, assessment, classroom management, parent engagement, curriculum implementation, co-curricular activities and administrative duties require sustained commitment.

Yet teachers rarely receive sufficient opportunities to step away from these demands.

That is why the Nyanza celebration mattered. It created space for teachers to experience some of the activities they routinely encourage learners to embrace.

A profession that promotes holistic development among learners should also recognise the importance of holistic wellbeing among its practitioners.

The Teachers Service Commission deserves credit for taking activities leading to World Teachers’ Day closer to teachers through regional events.

This broadens participation and gives teachers from different institutions an opportunity to meet outside their normal working environments. Such interaction can strengthen professional networks, encourage the exchange of experiences and foster a stronger sense of belonging.

Regional celebrations are particularly valuable in a profession where teachers can sometimes become confined to the routines and challenges of their individual schools.

Bringing colleagues together creates opportunities for fellowship that formal meetings cannot always provide.

The initiative therefore represents more than decentralisation. It makes recognition more accessible and participatory.

Wellbeing should be embedded in the profession

The Nyanza experience also raises a wider issue: teacher wellbeing should be treated as an integral component of education quality.

Teachers operate in demanding professional environments and require systems that support their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Such concerns deserve attention in Kenya, particularly as teachers continue to navigate curriculum reforms, expanding responsibilities and diverse learner needs.

Wellbeing should not be addressed only after problems emerge. It requires deliberate, preventive measures.

Regular wellness activities, sports, professional networking, mentorship, counselling and peer-support programmes could provide teachers with constructive avenues for renewal.

These initiatives need not be elaborate. Sometimes an opportunity to interact with colleagues, participate in recreation or share professional experiences can make a meaningful difference.

Professional commitment should not be measured by how much exhaustion a teacher can endure.

Should October 5 become a public holiday?

The Nyanza celebration also prompted me to consider a bigger question: should Kenya declare World Teachers’ Day a public holiday?

The proposal deserves national discussion.

TSC could engage the Government and relevant stakeholders on whether October 5 could be given formal national recognition as a day dedicated to teachers and the contribution of education to society.

Such a holiday would have significance beyond giving teachers a day away from work. It would symbolically affirm the importance of the profession and create an opportunity for communities to participate in celebrating education.

Schools, professional bodies, communities and other stakeholders could mark the occasion through teacher-recognition programmes, educational forums, mentorship activities, learner performances and wellness initiatives.

World Teachers’ Day already carries international significance. It is observed every October 5 to commemorate the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. The 2026 observance is particularly notable because it marks 60 years since the adoption of that landmark instrument.

Kenya could use this occasion to reflect on the status, welfare and professional standing of its teachers.

A public holiday, however, should complement rather than substitute for substantive reforms in teacher welfare and working conditions.

Teacher contribution cannot always be captured through academic statistics.

Some of the most consequential work happens quietly: mentoring a vulnerable learner, supporting a struggling colleague, nurturing an artistic or sporting talent, introducing an innovative teaching approach or helping to build a positive school culture.

These contributions deserve visibility.

Professional excellence should therefore encompass instructional competence, mentorship, innovation, leadership, collaboration and service—not examination outcomes alone.

A teacher’s impact is often measured not only by what learners score, but also by the people they become.

Let the celebration continue

What I witnessed in Nyanza was not simply a day of entertainment. It was an affirmation of professional identity.

Teachers who spend their careers encouraging learners to sing, dance, create, communicate and participate were given an opportunity to do the same.

The experience demonstrated that recognition can restore enthusiasm and strengthen fellowship.

TSC has made a worthwhile move by bringing activities closer to teachers through the regions. The opportunity now is to build on that foundation with sustained programmes that promote professional growth, wellness and collegiality.

The Commission could also lead a national conversation on the possibility of making October 5 a public holiday.

Such a gesture would not resolve every challenge confronting teachers. But it would communicate something important about national priorities.

A country that entrusts teachers with the education and character formation of its children should also create space to honour those carrying that responsibility.

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After witnessing the spirit of teachers in Nyanza, I am convinced of one thing: teachers deserve not merely a date on the calendar, but meaningful opportunities to be valued, renewed and celebrated.

By Astiba Kebong’o

Email: jackiekebongo@gmail.com

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