DNK International By Our Correspondent,Gatanga
In a classroom where learning is often associated with books, chalkboards and the familiar chorus of pupils repeating after their teacher, Marion Mukenyi Mwaniki is rewriting the script.
Through songs, dance, storytelling and creative teaching techniques, the Kenyan Early Years educator is demonstrating that learning can be both meaningful and fun, transforming everyday classroom experiences into memorable moments for her young learners.
Globally, Marion’s highly effective methods have attracted accolades from UNESCO, while, locally, caught the attention of President Ruto prompting the Head of State to nominate her as a recepient of Presidential Award, Head of State Commendation category. Early last month, her employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) similarly recognized her work and ranked her at position No.1 in Murang’a County and Central Kenya Region in the Early Educators category, a testament to her effectiveness.
Based at Gatunyu Primary School in Gatanga Constituency, Murang’a County, Marion teaches Grade 2 pupils, where the foundations of learning are laid and children’s first experiences of formal education shaped.
For her, teaching goes beyond delivering lessons and completing the curriculum.
It is about creating an environment in which children feel safe, loved, valued and excited to learn.
An alumna of Murang’a Teachers Training College (MTTC), Marion has become a familiar face on social media, where her innovative approach to teaching has attracted attention and admiration from parents, fellow educators and members of the public.
Through her TikTok account, @teacher_marionmukenyi, and Facebook page, Teacher Marion as she’s known by her pupils and wider public, she shares glimpses of her classroom, offering audiences a front-row seat to the creativity, energy and enthusiasm that define her teaching style.
Her growing online following is a testament to the appeal of her methods of teaching.
“When a teacher plays with pupils, children feel loved, safe, and valued,” is the philosophy that guides her work.
It is a simple principle, but one that has become the hallmark of her classroom.
Marion’s journey into the national spotlight gained momentum in May 2024, when a video of her welcoming pupils back to school after a period of disruption caused by floods captured the attention of social media users.
With school reopening after the delay, she chose to make the return to class a celebration rather than simply resume the usual routine.
On the classroom board, she wrote, “New term, new experience, happy times,” setting the tone for what would become an unforgettable welcome.
Instead of beginning with a conventional lesson, Marion invited her pupils, one after another, to dance with her in front of their classmates.
The atmosphere was filled with excitement and laughter as the children took turns expressing themselves through movement, with their teacher cheering them on.
The video struck a chord with viewers and was subsequently picked up by mainstream and digital media platforms, introducing a wider audience to the teacher whose classroom was anything but ordinary.
For many parents who watched the clip, the sight of a teacher dancing freely with her pupils offered a refreshing contrast to the more rigid classroom environments they remembered from their own childhoods.
Social media users praised her warmth and enthusiasm, with some recalling teachers whose strict, almost military-like approach left little room for play.
Others suggested that pupils in Marion’s class would have little reason to miss school, given the excitement that awaited them each day.
For her, a dance can be more than a dance.
It can be an opportunity to build confidence, strengthen relationships and help children associate school with positive experiences.
In her classroom, songs become teaching aids, colourful chalk brings concepts to life, and movement helps pupils grasp ideas that might otherwise seem abstract.
When teaching domestic animals, for instance, she goes beyond asking pupils to identify the animals.
Through songs and the use of different colours of chalk, she guides them through the names of the animals, their young ones, the sounds they make and the places where they live.
In a lesson on personal safety, Marion’s used a song to teach pupils about private parts and inappropriate touching before the mid-term break.
The lesson, associated with the hashtag #DontTouch, was designed to help young learners understand personal boundaries and recognize the importance of protecting themselves.
By presenting the message in language and a format appropriate for their age, she demonstrated how creative teaching can be used not only to support academic learning but also to address important aspects of children’s personal safety and well-being.
Adding another playful element to the lesson, she wears a pupil’s scout uniform, reinforcing the light hearted atmosphere that has become synonymous with her classroom.
Her approach also reflects the spirit of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which emphasizes the development of practical skills, creativity and the active participation of learners.
As Marion’s videos continue to circulate online, her influence has grown beyond the walls of Gatunyu Primary School.
Her social media platforms have become spaces where parents, teachers and former pupils engage with her work, sharing their reactions to her lessons and reflecting on the kind of educational experiences they would have welcomed during their own school years.
Her work suggests that a teacher’s influence is not measured solely by what pupils can recall from a lesson, but also by how they feel about learning itself.
Mukenyi’s growing public profile has been accompanied by recognition by the State for her work in education.
Her achievements for 2026 include a National Honour Award, for which she was listed as having attained Position One nationally during World Teachers’ Day celebrations.
The recognition is attributed to distinguished service and is associated with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and UNESCO.
At the county level, she was awarded the Early Years Educator Award 2026, having attained Position One in Murang’a County while serving at Gatunyu Primary School. The award, accompanied by a trophy and certificate, recognizes her work in early childhood and lower-primary education.
Further recognition was on Mashujaa Day, October 20, 2026, when she was listed for honour as a Kenyan National Heroine at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Uasin Gishu County under the Head of State Commendation (HSC).
The recognition is associated with her contribution to transforming young lives, innovation in education and community service.
These honours mark a significant milestone in Marion’s teaching journey, bringing wider recognition to the work she has been doing in her classroom and sharing with the public.
For an educator whose work first attracted widespread attention through a joyful classroom welcome, such recognition would underscore the fact that one doesn’t neeed big platforms, high paying job at a bluechip company to be recognized as a shujaa (national hero).
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🗓️ [Daily News Kenya-International@October 21,2026]
