Meet Urudi Primary School teacher Vincent Obaga who dresses up in students uniform

Meet Kenyan teacher who dresses in school uniform [Video]

Mwangi Gathanwa

July 15, 2021 3:54 PM

Obaga said that his dress code also has its perks outside the school such as being billed like a minor at the barbershop.

Urudi Primary School teacher Vincent Obaga

A teacher from Urudi Primary School in Kisumu County has been going to work in the same uniform as his students.

Vincent Obaga who has now been nicknamed Mtoto Mkubwa asked his headteacher James Sagino for permission as soon as he was posted to the school.

“He approached me and asked whether he could go ahead because he was doing it at his former school before he was employed by the Teachers Service Commission,” the headteacher stated.

The Mathematics and Kiswahili teacher said he was unsure about whether the school and his students would accept his dress code but they embraced him, much to his surprise.

The headteacher noted that the teacher’s students were performing well and even the engagement in his class was very high.

Obaga explained that since he began the strategy at his previous school in 2018, he had observed that his teaching methods helped learners relate with him and his subjects.

“We used to get a mean score of 202 and 204 but managed to score 301,” he explained the improvement in performance.

“They tell me everything and use me to pass messages to their class teacher. They regard me as their comrade,” he said.

Obaga also interacts with the pupils during break time and enjoys playing football and other sports.

“He likes pupils and is very polite. He likes telling us about reading and also gives us personal stories,” described Peter Onyango a pupil at Urudi Primary School.

“He is friendly and students understand what he teaches because he takes them as his brothers and sisters,” added another pupil.

Obaga also said that his dress code has its perks outside the school such as being billed like a minor at the barbershop.

“Recently I went cut my hair and I paid Sh50 and they returned sh30 as my balance. They did not recognise that I am a teacher so I saved a little money,” he joyfully narrated.

At 29 years old, the Mathematics and Kiswahili teacher is husband and father of two.

Many education experts say that successful education usually centres on a personal connection with a teacher who instilled passion and inspiration for their subject.

Mwangi Gathanwa