The 2022 National Mentorship Conference held on the 16th June 2022 at the Kenyatta International Conference on 16th June 2022 saw the official unveiling of the Mentorship Delivery Handbook by I Choose Life Africa in collaboration with other partners in the education sector.
The Principal Secretary in the State Department for Early Learning and Basic Education Dr. Julius Jwan congratulated I Choose Life Africa for partnering with his Ministry to enhance mentorship which is a very crucial contribution for the success of learners in Kenyan schools. In a speech read on his behalf by the Director, Policy, Partnerships & EAC Affairs Ms. Everlyne Owoko, the PS decried the various challenges facing learners in Kenya such as teenage pregnancy and noted that enhanced mentorship could help learners to overcome such difficulties.
The 2022 Conference follows the development of the Mentorship Policy for Early Learning and Basic Education and Guide which was launched by the then Cabinet Secretary of Education, Amb. Dr Amina Mohammed, in February 2019. Subsequently, a Mentorship Acceleration Plan was developed for roll out to all schools in the country with an initial pilot of mentorship to 10 model counties which demonstrated great impact on the learners.
The Conference attended by several stakeholders in the education sector such as the Chi8ldrens Mission Africa, Africa Development Bank, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (UKAID), the Global Peace Foundation, Ajira Digital, Ericks Development Partners, Generation Unlimited, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Meta amongst others also saw the launch of Jiinue Business Accelerator Launch and an online mentorship hub.
According to the CEO of I Choose Life Africa, over 82% of the mentorship beneficiaries demonstrated improved academic performance, discipline self-confidence and efficacy and added that the 2022 Mentorship Conference would focus on linkages of opportunities through mentorship, pathways to TVET Careers for industrial revolution and policy frameworks and commitments for mentorship.
Other speakers at the one day conference included the Country Director of the Global Peace Foundation Kenya Mr. Daniel Juma Omondi, the CEO of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund Mr. Benson Muthendi, the Head of Exploration at the UNDP Accelerator Labs Kenya Ms Caroline Kiarie Kimondo, the Innovation Manager at UNICEF Mr. Charles Otine, Mr. Henry Kilonzo from Safaricom Foundation, Ms Elizabeth Kimili from the Office of the President, Mr. George Chira from Eriks Development Partner amongst others.
