Montessori Training for East Pokot Teachers

Introduction and Background

East Pokot is a remote, arid region in northern Kenya, located in Baringo County in the Rift Valley. Communities in this area are predominantly pastoralist, which means that they move around with livestock such as cows, goats, and sheep for their livelihoods. Daily life is shaped by ongoing food insecurity, poverty, and frequent conflict, all of which significantly affect access to education.

Educational Challenges

East Pokot is known as a region affected by conflict between different communities, often linked to competition over scarce natural resources. These conflicts disrupt learning, displace families, and limit access to education when movement becomes unsafe.

Prolonged drought remains a major challenge, resulting in persistent food shortages that leave many families highly vulnerable and struggling to meet basic needs, including supporting their children’s education. Boys are also affected, as many are required to care for livestock and travel long distances in search of pasture, which frequently keeps them out of school for extended periods and impacts learning outcomes.

Interventions and Mentorship Support Strategy

To address these challenges, Association Montessori Internationale and Montessori for Kenya have been the driving force behind the East Pokot Montessori initiative since its inception in 2020. The aim is to support young people from the remote and under-resourced East Pokot region to train as Montessori teachers, who then establish a supportive environment for children to learn. 

Being in a remote area which often witnesses conflicts means there is difficulty for teachers to access to workshops and mentorship and for mentors to visit. As a solution, this year, the focus has been on adopting flexible and adaptive approaches to monitoring and support. These include conducting online observations of teachers’ work, children’s activities, and prepared learning environments when physical access is limited. Teachers share photographs for documentation, monitoring, and guidance, allowing mentors to provide ongoing support and track progress. This ensures quality education, improves teacher motivation and confidence, and supports new teachers. Physical school visits are carried out whenever the security situation allows it, as in-person mentorship and classroom observation remains essential for quality implementation and teacher motivation.

Recent Developments

Over the past four months, weather conditions have improved slightly, with some rainfall received across the region, although attacks between communities continued during this period. Conflict levels havereduced, though the situation remains unpredictable. This improvement has enabled mentorship visits to resume.

For the past five months, relative stability has been restored, allowing children to return to learning consistently across all supported schools. Despite ongoing social and environmental challenges, educational activities have continued, and positive progress has been observed in classrooms.

Barpello School

Barpello School currently serves 36 children, with admissions still ongoing. It operates as an operates with one Montessori classroom.

Gladys C oversees the Montessori environment for 15 newly enrolled children of mixed ages. She is currently pursuing her AMI International Diploma in Dar es Salaam and volunteers her time at Barpello School. 

Parents and the wider community are increasingly embracing Montessori education. According to parent feedback, children educated through Montessori demonstrate independence, discipline, early writing skills, and improved confidence and self-expression.

Sharon, who graduated in November last year with a national certificate from St. Ann’s Montessori College, completed her teaching practice at Barpello School. She is currently awaiting her TSC number, which is a requirement for her to be employed at a government school. The materials she prepared during her training continue to be used by the children, contributing to sustained learning.

Photo: Gladys giving a presentation

St. Luke’s Mission School

St. Luke’s Mission School serves 114 children across three classrooms, two of which are Montessori Classrooms. Increased enrolment this year has been driven by parents’ growing appreciation of Montessori pedagogy.

Denzel K currently guides 25 children, with admissions still ongoing. One of the main challenges in his classroom is the frequent repairs and replacement of Montessori materials. Another challenge relates to parent expectations, as many expect children to begin writing immediately. Denzel K has been actively engaging parents to explain child development and how this is supported through Montessori education, helping them understand that coordination of movement and foundational activities must come before writing. Mentorship has supported him in talking to parents as well as in his confidence as a teacher.

Eveline L is building her confidence in Montessori presentations. Through mentorship, she has received support in creating a calm environment through grace and courtesy activities and strengthening classroom structure. 

Irene, a graduate of St. Ann’s Montessori College, has currently completed her teaching practice. She is committed to continuing her journey as a Montessori teacher.

 Nasaltuko School

Nasaltuko School serves 140 children and includes two Montessori classrooms that are well equipped with learning materials. Parents strongly value the Montessori approach, contributing to increased enrolment this year. Children transitioning from Montessori have demonstrated discipline, independence, and enthusiasm for learning, which has been noted positively by other teachers.

Florence works with 24 children, some of whom joined school later than usual. 

Linet also guides 24 children. Her classroom faces challenges related to sequencing of materials, incomplete resources, limited mats, and irregular attendance. She is interested in pursuing a National Diploma and is awaiting feedback on her county application. 

Looking Ahead

Additional funds will enable schools to repair and replace materials, provide adequate classroom resources, support refresher courses, and strengthen parent and community engagement. With more resources, teachers can deliver consistent, high-quality learning experiences and maintain well-prepared environments for every child.

Additional funding will also support mentorship, which remains central to this work. By supporting teachers to grow in confidence and practice, mentorship ensures Montessori principles are lived daily in the classroom, strengthening both teaching quality and children’s learning outcomes. Well-supported teachers create environments where children develop independence, confidence, and a lasting love of learning — foundations that matter deeply in a context as challenging as East Pokot.

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East Pokot Report October 2025

Overview of the Schools and Teachers:

Teachers:

• Denzel – St. Luke’s School
• Linet – Nasaltuko School
• Everline – St. Luke’s School
• Gladys C – Barbello School
• Sharon L – Karolwa School
• Gladys L – Mentor teacher

Teachers on Teaching Practice: 

• Sharon C – Barpello School
• Florence – Nasaltuko School
• Irene – St. Luke’s School

Introduction and Mentoring

Peace has been gradually restored in East Pokot over the past few months. Interventions have reduced tensions between neighboring communities, creating a safer and more hopeful environment for children and teachers.

In September, Beth K, Pedagogy Coordinator at Montessori for Kenya, and Mentor Teacher Gladys C, visited three schools to observe progress and provide in-person mentorship. It was a welcome moment as visits have not been possilbe for the last months due to the security situation.  The teachers were deeply encouraged by the support.

The visit lasted one week, allowing the mentors to spend time in each classroom, observe, and share practical guidance. Heavy rains in recent months caused flooding in parts of East Pokot, making roads impassable and sometimes preventing children and teachers from attending school. Yet the commitment of the teachers remains unwavering, and they continue to show remarkable resilience in their mission to support children.

Barpello School

At Barpello School, Sharon C is about to complete her teaching practice. Working with 22 young children, she expresses, “The children have taught me patience. In the beginning, it was difficult to manage the classrooom, but I’ve learned to guide the children gently and consistently. With Gladys’ help, I’ve improved my record keeping and my confidence as a teacher.”

Gladys C currently acts as a mentor for Sharon C. She was previously employed at Barpello school but they were affected by recent cuts to international funding. Though no longer formally employed, she continues to volunteer at the school, supporting Sharon and helping keep Montessori alive in the community. 

Gladys has recently also started her AMI International 3-6 Diploma course in Dar es Salaam. She shares, “Mentoring adults is different from teaching children. But it’s fulfilling to see teachers like Sharon grow. With more support, we can reach even more children in these remote areas.” Her story illustrates the commitment of teachers: even when funding fluctuates, trained educators continue giving back to their communities.

Nasaltuko School

Nasaltuko School has become an example of the impact of Montessori education in Pokot. The school has expanded to Grade Two, now serving over 300 children. Parents are positive about the progress of their children and there are plans to add additional classrooms.

Florence, in her final term of teaching practice, reflects on her journey: “It has been my dream to serve the children of my village. The Montessori materials really work. I’ve seen children grow in independence and confidence. I can’t wait to graduate and continue guiding them.” Working alongside her is Linet, who has been teaching at Nasaltuko for several years. She adds: “Every week, we receive more children seeking admission. We take them all because most have no other school nearby.” Linet hopes to begin her national diploma course soon to strengthen her knowledge. 

St. Luke’s School

St. Luke School continues to flourish, with dedicated teachers guiding large groups of enthusiastic children. Irene, on her teaching practice, works closely with Evelyn, and they have 38 children in their classroom. She says, “When I started, I was nervous and often overwhelmed. But with the support from mentors, I’ve learned how to prepare the environment and follow the child. The children are happier and more focused.” Evelyn, who has been with the school for three years, remains passionate about the Montessori approach: “I’ve seen incredible change in the children. They are independent and eager to learn. Working with Irene has also reminded me of how mentorship helps us all grow.” Denzel, working at St. Luke’s for nearly two years, has become a trusted teacher. His classroom of 32 children is vibrant and well-organized.

The headteacher shared that all three classrooms are full, and parents continue to seek enrollment. During holidays, Denzel and his colleagues plan to repair and make new materials to keep up with the growing numbers.

Next Steps

The Montessori initiative in East Pokot continues to transform both teachers and communities. Parents now recognize how Montessori nurtures independence, confidence, and love for learning, qualities that prepare children for lifelong success. Fr. Timothy, school administrator, explains: “Some children only come to school when meals are available. Others stay home because of the distance. Our dream is to build another classroom next year so they can continue learning.”

As demand for Montessori education grows, more trained teachers and mentors are urgently needed. Continued funding for mentorship is vital, as it nurtures the growth of both teachers and students, ensuring lasting impact in every classroom. There are ongoing discussions with the County Government of Baringo to expand Montessori training to more early childhood centers in East Pokot. The vision is clear: Every child, no matter how remote their home, deserves a strong and joyful start to learning.