Sosten Tabut is one of the hundreds of thousands of teachers that were being celebrated on October 5, 2022 – World Teachers’ Day.
Tabut has served as a teacher for the last 25 years, 18 of which he has been a principal.
In his 25 years of service, the current Umoja Secondary School Principal says he has so much that he is proud of.
“I’m proud of being a teacher because of the many lives I have touched. I go to towns and cities and I meet successful former students and I’m happy about that,” Sosten Tabut tells Uasin Gishu News.
For over two decades, the Umoja Principal points out that he has been able to increase the number of children proceeding to university and middle-level colleges.
So far, he has taught in five schools. He started off at Miteitei Boys, moved to Kotnelel, then Kilibwoni Boys in Nandi County before proceeding to Natawana Secondary School and Kiplombe in Uasin Gishu.
Later he was moved to Umoja Secondary school where he still serves.
It is at Umoja Secondary that he has had what he would describe as his biggest success so far as a principal.
“Last year, we were lucky to have the best candidate in the county who had an A. He is now taking medicine at Egerton University. I am happy because he was a child that started learning here from form one to form four. This was proof that children in day school can do well,” notes Sosten Tabut.
What can the government do to improve teachers’ welfare?
The Umoja Secondary School Principal admits that the government has done so much to improve the welfare of teachers. From timely salary payment to enlisting them to the medical cover.
However, there I still room for further improvement.
“The cost of living has gone high and teachers are among those living in the county. If remuneration can be improved it would be better,” notes Tabut.
He also notes that the government should consider employing more teachers to address the high workload that they are currently facing.
World Teachers’ Day aims to focus on “appreciating, assessing and improving the educators of the world” and to provide an opportunity to consider issues related to teachers and teaching.
It was established in 1994, and it commemorates the signing of the 1966 UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, which is a standard-setting instrument that addresses the status and situations of teachers around the world.
