With the introduction of free primary school education in Kenya, the Kenyan government was faced with a dilemma: a larger number of students with access to an education and not enough teachers to accommodate the growing class sizes. The majority of Maasai schools are required by law to have at least one teacher per class, however low teacher numbers mean there are often up to 75 children in one class.
The Maasai Teaching project is based approximately 2 hours south-west of Nairobi in rural Maasailand. You’ll be based in local schools, helping teachers to manage large classes and delivering a better quality education to students between 4 and 15 years-old. On top of that, you’ll have an immersive cultural experience in the African heartland.
Teaching volunteers in Maasai assist with a range of lessons each day, including Math, English, Science, Social Studies, Geography, History, Art and Physical Education classes. You can help to provide one-to-one assistance for students who need it, and relieve the teacher of a class or two per day.
This project is for volunteers looking for a teaching experience like no other. Giraffes, gazelles and dik-diks often wander freely across the school grounds. It’s also not unusual for wild animals to burrow holes in the school field overnight.
This project is open to all volunteers - you don’t need to be qualified or an experienced teacher to participate on this project as you’ll be under the supervision of a local teacher. However, we encourage you to come prepared by completing relevant training, such as a Teaching English As A Foreign Language (TEFL) course. Visit our Online TEFL Course page to learn how to gain an internationally-recognized TEFL certification at a discounted rate.
Please note, this project is not available during the school holidays outlined below. If you apply for the Teaching project during this time, you will be switched to either Special Needs Care or Women’s Education, which are based in Nairobi.
School Holidays 2021:
- October 31st 2020 - January 4th, 2021
- March 20th - May 9th
- June 3rd - June 7th
- July 17th - July 25th
- August 26th - August 29th
- October 2nd - October 10th
- December 12th - January 2nd 2022
Volunteers will spend your first day in Nairobi for project orientation, before being transferred to your placement location. You’ll be accommodated in a homestay with a local family where living is basic but authentic. It also presents a unique opportunity to fully immerse yourself in a rural African community and live like the locals do.
Apply now