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Wearing a black dress, and matching heels while holding several books, Tabby Wothaya danced outside a classroom in a TikTok video.

A song by Jamaican dancehall star, Konshens played in the background and she rhythmically moved to the beat, celebrating a canceled lesson.

“When you are told afternoon lessons are canceled because your students have a talk,” the caption read.

The video catapulted the stylish high school teacher into the limelight, garnering 2.9 million views on the video platform.

She is among a new breed of Kenyan teachers using TikTok to change perceptions about the profession. Traditionally, Kenyans teachers were viewed as strict disciplinarians, but Wothaya and her peers are introducing fun into the mix.

Wothaya, who works in a school in central Kenya, said she was set to become a lawyer but switched to teaching, often viewed as a less prestigious and financially fulfilling profession in Kenya.

“I joined the University of Nairobi to study law but discovered that education was my calling, following in my mother’s footsteps.”

Despite the lower pay, Wothya affirmed that she made the right decision as she finds the career fulfilling.

Her TikTok success was so profound that it changed her career trajectory.

“I wanted to join the Education Ministry at the decision-making level but TikTok changed all that.”

 

How can teachers utilize TikTok?

With her influence, Wothaya said that she wants to change how Kenyans perceive teachers.

“I was saddened after learning that many people have traumatic experiences at the hands of teachers. TikTok has provided me with the platform to show people that not all teachers are like that.”

Aside from changing mindsets, TikTok offers teachers an alternative income source, advertisements, and endorsement deals.

Wothya also admitted that her ‘cool’ approach to her job endeared her to students, and they look up to her.

“Some share their personal struggles with me and I sometimes involve the parents or school counselor,” she said.

Despite the close relationship with her students, Wothaya stresses the importance of having professional boundaries.

Harriet Okutoyi, a kindergarten teacher, says that TikTok has unexploited potential in Kenya’s education sector.

“A research by Microsoft found that overconsumption of social media is often to blame for students’ decreasing attention spans. Packaging knowledge into short videos might be a way to reach to learners in a fun way,” Okutoyi said.

To teachers considering creating TikTok content, Wothaya sent a word of caution.

“You need to inform the school management and also get signed consent forms from parents to be able to capture and share student’s faces online since most of them are minors.”