In June 2025, over 80 teachers from Kasimba and Gachororo Primary Schools participated in intensive four-day trainings under the LEARN Project (Learning Environments that Advance Rights and Nonviolence). The sessions equipped educators with practical skills in positive discipline, child safeguarding, and teacher wellness, setting a new standard for creating safer, more supportive schools.
Building Respectful Teacher–Learner Relationships
Teachers explored positive discipline as an effective alternative to punitive punishment, learning to guide learners through empathy, respect, and constructive correction rather than fear. Reflecting on their own experiences, one teacher shared:
“My home science teacher treated us as individuals, she was patient and rewarded us for good performance. It motivated us without fear. That is the kind of teacher I want to be”
Strengthening Knowledge and Practice
The training deepened understanding of school-related violence, child protection policies, and practical approaches to creating safe classrooms. Topics included violence prevention, socio-emotional support, stress management, and partnerships with parents. A teacher at Gachororo reflected:
“We realised that punishment silences children out of fear, but positive discipline makes them understand and change behaviour”
Shifts in Mindset and Learning
Beyond the content delivered, the greatest change observed was in teachers’ attitudes. Many reflected on how their own schooling shaped their beliefs about discipline, and how those traditions need to be challenged. Teachers described moments of self-awareness during the training, recognising that harsh punishment often comes from stress rather than a child’s mistake. One participant noted:
“Sometimes we punish children because of our own frustrations, not because they did wrong. I now see that we must separate our stress from how we guide learners”
The trainings also connected teachers with wider community stakeholders, including Ministry of Health officials, probation officers, children’s officers, and legal advocates. One participant remarked:
“The panel helped us see that safeguarding is not just for teachers alone. We need to work with health workers, parents, and the law to keep children safe”
Teachers committed to modelling empathy, practising stress management, and involving learners in setting classroom rules. As one teacher summarised:
“We are going back to our classrooms ready to guide, not punish. Our learners deserve to grow through respect and understanding, not fear”
The LEARN teacher trainings mark a pivotal step toward safer schools where discipline is built on understanding, not fear. By equipping educators with tools for positive discipline and well-being, LVCT Health and partners are laying the foundation for classrooms that nurture growth, respect, and resilience.
LEARN is implemented by LVCT Health and Evidence and Beyond, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission, with financial support from Together for Girls and Wellspring Philanthropic Fund.
Story by Anne Ngunjiri and Festus Mutua (Reviewer)