Teacher education is a key pillar in realizing quality education. It ensures that teachers are equipped with the requisite skills, knowledge, and pedagogy to effectively engage learners and facilitate meaningful learning experiences. In 2022, Action for Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE) conducted assessment of life skills and values among adolescents in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar. Results revealed that only 5% of adolescents in Kenya are proficient in problem solving and consequently, ALiVE embarked on a journey to address this gap. The big question was, how does the teacher education space need to evolve to prepare a teacher to effectively develop life skills and nurture values? In answer, within the Kenyan context, Zizi Afrique Foundation (ZAF) through the ALiVE initiative is working in collaboration with Eregi and Machakos Teachers Training Colleges in the space of foundational learning (core competencies, values, literacy, and numeracy). The collaboration is through a learning-by-doing model to explore ways through which teacher education can prepare a teacher with the capacity to connect content and pedagogical approaches for improved foundational learning outcomes. Specifically, Zizi Afrique is supporting the colleges to mainstream core-competences in their day-to-day activities through a whole school approach to unlock the formal, informal, and non-formal opportunities while using accelerated learning approach as a vehicle to achieve this. The work with teacher educators started by forming a common understanding of the current gaps in foundational leaning, the role of the teacher and how this connects with teacher education. Effective implementation of the Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) require teacher educators who have the core competencies, the pedagogy to mainstream core competencies, skills to develop formative assessments of measuring core competencies and values and to model values in the school environment. This kind of training and environment is likely to produce teachers with the relevant skill set, knowledge and values. Teacher educators from the two colleges have received training on introduction to life skills and values, to enhance their understanding and facilitate mainstreaming of the core competencies and values. Other trainings will focus on assessment, nurturing and accelerated learning approach. This collaboration aims to impart knowledge, skills, and to shift the mind-sets of the teacher educators and by extension the teacher trainees, to effectively implement competency-based curriculum. The results will be useful in shaping teacher education work in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zanzibar.  

In April 2024, the Action for Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE) embarked on a journey to assess life skills and values in Taita Taveta, Nyeri and Kisumu counties, in Kenya. The assessment covered 1,265 adolescents aged between 13-17 years old, across the three counties. ALiVE aimed to assess 3 life skills: collaboration, problem solving and self-awareness alongside the value of respect. The assignment began with a 3-day training of assessors who were selected from a crop of trainee teachers. This choice of assessors was strategic because the ALiVE initiative aims to expose teachers to identify life skills and values, integrate them in the education curriculum, and ultimately be able to assess them at the classroom level. Watch more on the assessment here. At the end of the weeklong exercise, some of the assessors wrote the following blogs as a highlight of their experiences during the assessment. The culmination of the ALiVE household assessment on life skills and values marks not just the end of an evaluation but the beginning of a transformative journey. The values and life skills learned mark the strength and wisdom behind the program. Focusing on self-awareness, problem solving and collaboration as yardsticks, as an assessor and teacher in training, my immersion in this assessment has been a profound exploration of empowerment and growth regarding life skills and values among adolescents in East Africa. The program was full of immense learning opportunities that included a three-day training programme and ground research. Pivotal moments of the assessment included: witnessing first-hand the resilience and aspirations of adolescents aged 13 between and 17 years, engaging learners in discussions about values and life skills revealed an array of experiences, challenges and dreams, as well as observing this youthful world of exuberance. These experiences benefitted the assessment, and opened windows into the hearts and minds of our future leaders. Navigating diverse household dynamics underscored the interconnectedness of values and life skills with familial environments. Each household visited in Kisumu county presented a unique narrative, reflecting the rich tapestry of East African culture. From bustling urban settings to serene rural landscapes, the common thread was the unwavering dedication of parents and guardians in instilling essential virtues in their children. Additionally, communication proved pivotal in the assessment process. Effective dialogue, laced with empathy and understanding, fostered trust and openness among adolescents and their families. This experience reaffirmed the impact of communication in nurturing personal development and fostering meaningful connections. Much can be said of the Zizi Afrique Foundation-led assessment. However, it did not pass without challenges. The challenges included logistical hurdles given the terrain of the villages visited. We also met occasional resistance at the household level. But with resilience and adaptability, we pulled through most of the challenges and embraced them as catalysts for co-existence and growth, strengthening our resolve to advocate for comprehensive life skills education for all adolescents. Reflecting on the ALiVE household assessment, I am reminded of its significance beyond data collection. It is a call to action—a call to empower, educate, and uplift the youth of East Africa, for life. It is a testament to the collective effort of educators, parents, and stakeholders in shaping a generation equipped with the tools to thrive in an ever-evolving world. I believe the ALiVE program will have positive and long-long effects on all those reached. In conclusion, I extend my gratitude to Zizi Afrique Foundation for orchestrating this impactful assessment and commend my fellow assessors for their dedication. Let us carry forward the lessons learned, championing the cause of holistic education and empowerment for our youths. Brian Okoth Despite these challenges, the experiences gained during the assessment were invaluable. Engaging directly with parents and the adolescents provided insights into the unique dynamics and needs within each household. Where parents or care givers embraced the assessment, meaningful conversations ensued, building a sense of collaboration and shared responsibility for adolescents’ growth and development. They in turn expressed appreciation for the opportunity to reflect on and discuss essential life skills and values with their children. Conversely, in households where ALiVE was met with resistance, the assessment process became an opportunity for dialogue and awareness creation. Concerns were addressed through trust building and rapport with doubtful household heads, emphasizing the potential benefits of equipping the adolescents with critical life skills for present and future success. Throughout the assessment, self-awareness emerged as a recurring theme for parents and adolescents alike. Discussions around respect, problem solving, and collaboration often promoted self – reflection encouraging individuals to examine their own behaviours, beliefs and attitudes towards others and towards life encounters. Overall, the assessment experience reinforced the complexity of promoting life skills and values within diverse communities. It underscored the importance of inclusive and participatory approaches that recognize and respect the cultural context while striving for positive change. Moreover, by engaging with the households and doing dialogue, the assessment process became not only a means of evaluation, but a catalyst for community engagement, empowerment and (hopefully) transformative growth. A special acknowledgement must be made to the team at Zizi Afrique for their invaluable support and guidance throughout the assessment process. If there is anything directly influential in value development, it most definitely must be the ALiVE program. The program is geared towards personal expression of values and life skills and an appreciation of those around us. Zizi Afrique Foundation team facilitated the household assessment of adolescents aged 13 to 17 years, to evaluate their proficiencies in 3 life skills and one value that is: self-awareness, problem solving, collaboration and respect. Ann Gitonga BY STELLA ROSE AKONGO

Amidst ongoing global concerns regarding the direction and implementation of education, East Africa is experiencing an educational transformation, with curriculum reforms at the forefront. The shift to competency-based education (CBE) has sparked a growing emphasis on nurturing life skills and values to educate learners fit for the 21st century. However, a lasting impact may become elusive if educators lack the skills to effectively teach, assess, and foster these competencies throughout the school system. This transition requires teachers to adapt to CBE with new teaching strategies, and a deeper understanding of how to foster competencies such as: critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, among others, in their learners. Technical capacities to teach, assess, and nurture these competencies remain a real challenge in many classrooms, leading to disparities in how the competency-based curriculum (CBC) is delivered across schools. However, there is a risk is that CBC could exacerbate existing inequalities instead of bridging gaps. With limited evidence on what works in nurturing life skills and values, there is no better time than now, for researchers and academics to collaborate in exploring promising approaches to nurturing life skills and values through rigorous and robust studies. The potential impact of this research is significant, as it will generate the evidence necessary to inform and support the implementation of CBC. Evidence on the specific needs of teachers, students, and school systems is essential for targeted school interventions, tailored professional development for teachers, and curated learning materials that ensure all schools, regardless of location, can deliver the CBC effectively. Since May 2024, the Action for Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE) initiative, in partnership with Kenyatta University (Kenya), and the University of Utrecht (Netherlands) have been exploring collaborative research opportunities uniting East Africa’s leading universities and universities in the global north for a North-South research agenda, aimed at delivering what works in nurturing life skills and values. Regional organizations have since joined the collaborative. They include United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Aflatoun International, Network of Impact Evaluation Research Africa (NIERA), and Education Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA), alongside regional higher institutions of learning like Strathmore University and the University of Dar-es-Salaam. Others like Kyambogo University, Makerere University, and State University of Zanzibar have also shown interest. The first co-creation meeting organized and hosted by Kenyatta University occurred on September 23rd – 24th 2024. Different government entities, including curriculum institutes, teacher service commissions, assessment agencies, and teacher educators, participated in the workshop to co-create a research agenda, focusing on exploring promising nurturing approaches that teachers (and parents, to some extent) use to develop values and life skills. During the workshop, participants co-developed a strategy for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to identify the most effective methods for nurturing life skills and values. The participation of key government stakeholders, including representatives from the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), contributed valuable insights to ensure practical application and policy alignment. A central theme of the workshop was the need to strengthen locally led research, remarkably increasing the involvement of women and early-career African researchers. By fostering collaboration and promoting African-driven solutions, the workshop laid a foundation for meaningful improvements in teacher education and the overall implementation of CBC in classrooms across East Africa. Find out more about our work. BY STELLA ROSE AKONGO

The Pilot On February 27, 2024, Action for Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE) piloted tools to assess life skills and values among learners aged 6 to 12 years old, in three schools: Kamahindu Primary School in Kiambu, Westlands Primary School in Nairobi and Ngurubani Primary School in Kirinyaga county. Teachers from these schools conducted a pilot test for grade 4, 6 and 8 on problem solving, collaboration and respect. These skills had been integrated into Environmental Activities in grade 3, Science and Social Studies in grade 5, and Integrated Science, Social Studies, Creative Arts and Sports in grade 7. The life skills were assessed, using a tool co-created by teachers in Kenya and experts from the ALiVE Academy. We see it that whatever is not assessed is not taught. The same way we teach and assess toward improving teaching on regular academic subjects, is the same way we should treat life skills and values. Assessing these core competencies is a complex task, but we must embrace it. Otherwise, we will not be able to know whether our education system is producing what we have promised the society. Dr, John Mugo Executive Director of Zizi Afrique Foundation and a Principal Investigator at ALiVE Additionally, Professor Esther Care, a globally renowned expert in the measurement of core competencies and values, has been the technical lead in ALiVE assessment tool development. She underscored the need to see if learners can apply skills learned within the context of their curriculum studies. “It is not just about whether they can solve problems in their lives. It is more of how they can apply a particular approach to thinking about materials in social sciences that will help them understand the material better,” Professor Care. The assessments were also expected to show teachers different techniques to ensure learners grasp what is taught in class. Learning Journeys with Teachers In November and December 2023, Zizi Afrique convened 18 teachers from 6 counties to learn from Professor Esther Care. The teachers went through 7-module practical learning sessions on the development of tools to assess core competencies and values through face-to-face interactions. Through this process, the teachers developed tools to assess problem-solving, collaboration, and respect, the tools underwent Think-Aloud (Cognitive) laboratories with learners, and revisions were made based on feedback. Zizi Afrique Foundation engaged teachers in the tools co-creation process having identified that teachers are critical curriculum drivers in the learning context, and the consideration that competency-based curriculum provides learners with a platform to showcase academic prowess, life skills and talents. Children’s brains are like a sponge, which keeps absorbing. They exhibit so much curiosity in their formative stages of life. This is the right time to instil in them life skills and values, otherwise as they grow older, they may be harder to capture and nurture. Mr. Kennedy Kyeva Principal at Westlands School ALiVE is a collaborative initiative that thrives in strategic partnerships. During the pilot, representatives from the Ministry of Education, Kenya National Examination Council, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, teachers, and ALiVE teams from Kenya Uganda and Tanzania were involved the assessment exercise. BY RAY POLLO