Vincent Kirui

Vincent Kirui

Subjects:  Math, Kiswahili, CRE (Christian Religious Education) class 5

Hometown:  Kericho, Rift Valley Province, Kenya

Bio:

His first language is Kalenjin (a Highland Nioletes group of language) and his tribe is Kipsigis.  Kericho town is the Kericho County headquarters.  Kericho is a major tea-growing region of Kenya.  It is a large agricultural zone and receives a lot of rainfall throughout the year.  Vincent mentioned that most of the area has towns rather than vast swathes of uninhabited land like the Samburu District.  He informed us that most people are educated in his area and many value education.  He also told us that families typically have three to six children.  He is the oldest of four children.  He has two brothers and one sister, all of who attend school.

“It’s like many people have adopted the current culture of education, educating everybody in their family.  Most of the families take all their children to school.”

He mentioned that most people are farmers in Kericho, but that his parents are fruit sellers and tea carriers.  They could not grow tea on their land because it was very small.  Ironically, although they live in a tea-producing region, they do not drink it at home.

Vincent mentioned that he was the first one in his family to attend school.

“I was lucky to have gone to school.  I am the first one in our home.  So I was lucky to go to school.  I passed very well in primary.  I was assisted by good Samaritans, people, just well-wishers to go to secondary school, form one to form four.  And I made it very well together, B, B-.  I was to go to university, but because of financial issues, I just opted to go to college. So I am the first one.  (In Kenya, University is a four-year program and college is two years).

Vincent got married last year to Gladys and they have a little girl who was born last December 3^rd.

Career:

Like many other teachers at NWPS, Vincent attended Machakos Teachers’ Training College.  He began teaching at NWPS in September of 2008.  He began teaching class 2 and mathematics to class 7.  In 2009, he eventually moved to teaching math, Kiswahili, and CRE (Christian Religious Education) to the upper grades.

His favorite subjects to teach are Kiswahili and math.

“I’m happy, especially teaching mathematics. When learners are learning mathematics, when they are making mathematics to be fun.  I am happy and I enjoy.”

Vincent said that despite the climatic challenges, he is very happy to be teaching at NWPS.

Q&A:

What made you become a teacher?

“It’s my inborn dream to be a teacher.  My primary school teacher, one of my primary school teachers, I admired the way he used to teach us. The way he used to behave, so I also admired to be a teacher because of him.  My class one teacher is someone who made me be a teacher.”

His teacher, Joel, inspired Vincent to become a teacher.  He told Joel that he has become a teacher.

Were there any surprises during your first year of school or your first day in the classroom?

Vincent was 22 when he started teaching.  After graduating high school, he immediately went to help teach at a school near his home.  He mentioned that it was a little difficult at the beginning because some of his students were his age and didn’t quite show him the respect he deserved.  It eventually got better and he was able to be an effective teacher.

Is there anything that you would like to ask a teacher at Packer?

Vincent would like to know how we test and evaluate our learners at Packer.

He would also like to learn how teachers at Packer teach a class of mixed leveled learners.

Click here to listen to the interview.