I am Horine Kinoti. I joined the ALiVE Academy in 2024 to assist in capturing insights from the sessions, for posterity. The idea is to be able to have local experts run the Academy in terms of transferring knowledge gained to future cohorts thereby reducing over-reliance on global experts. Amazingly, I got immersed in the Academy, participating in all sessions, Academy activities, research on life skills and values. That is how I graduated into an AA Scholar!
The sessions, though intense, are usually very interactive and interesting. I think when ‘I grow up’ I need to have such facilitation skills such as the ones exhibited by Prof. Esther Care.
Armed with knowledge from the Academy, I am proud to be among the local experts leading system change work here in Kenya. For instance, I have successfully facilitated workshops on life skills and values for teacher education in both Eregi and Machakos Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs). During the workshops, we engaged in unpacking the core competencies and values as per the CBC. Beyond that we developed assessment frameworks, performance indicators, criteria and assessment tasks and rubrics.
In addition, I have been contributing as an expert in developing values-based education materials which were co-created with experts from the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD). I have also participated in developing training manuals and information materials for parents, for nurturing national values. This was done alongside officials from the Directorate of National Cohesion and Values in Kenya.
The gains from the ALiVE Academy also enabled me to participate and facilitate the development of 13–17-year-old scenario-based and performance-based assessment tasks. The tasks were used during the April 2024 pilot assessment.
I really appreciate the ALiVE leadership for according to me this chance to be member of the ALiVE Academy. As a knowledge manager dealing more with software, I never imagined myself in the education sector making a difference and contributing to the common futures that ALiVE envisions, future where children and youth are living, thriving and navigating social, work and life challenges. I am proud AA Scholar!