SACMEQ homepage

Home > Member countries > Kenya

Education in Kenya

Botswana Kenya Lesotho Malawi Mauritius
Mozambique Namibia Seychelles South Africa Swaziland
Tanzania Uganda Zambia Zanzibar Zimbabwe

Country profile

Kenya is situated in East Africa and is bordered by Uganda to the West, Tanzania to the South, the Indian Ocean to the South-East, Somalia to the East, Ethiopia to the North-East, and Sudan to the North-West. It has a landmass of approximately 582,366 square kilometers. The population comprises 40 indigenous communities (each with its own mother tongue) making up approximately 97 percent of the population while the remaining 3 percent consists of immigrants from Asia, Europe and elsewhere.

English is the official language and the medium of government school instruction while the language of the school catchment area is also used for instruction in the first three Standards of primary school Kiswahili is a compulsory subject in both primary and secondary schools. Christianity is the religion of the majority, with approximately one third of the population is Muslim.

Kenya is divided into eight administrative regions or provinces, namely Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western. Each Province is divided into districts that are further divided into educational divisions and zones.

Demographics*:

Total population:
 36 553 490 (2006)
Annual population growth:
 2.3% (2005)
Rural population:
 79.3% (2005)

*latest data as of March 2009 from UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Profile of the administrative regions in Kenya, 2000

Province

Number of districts

Number of primary schools

Primary schools GER

Primary schools NER

Unique characteristics

Coast

7

1136

69.5

52.7

Majority of population is Muslim. Mombasa, the provincial capital, is the second largest city in Kenya.

Central

7

1855

105.2

82.8

Densely populated. High rainfall throughout the year and well endowed with cash crops (tea and coffee).

Eastern

12

4142

99.2

73.8

Most diverse province geographically, socially, economically, and culturally. Substantial variations in educational quality among districts.

Nairobi

N/A

250

52.0

44.9

Slum areas have low quality of education compared to high standards of education in schools in the city centre and outskirts.

Rift Valley

17

4678

88.3

66.9

Diverse population and varied crops. Nomadic pastoralists populate districts in the arid areas.

Western

7

1971

93.3

72.7

One main ethnic group. Sugar cane is the main cash crop. Widespread child labour practices.

Nyanza

10

4027

89.2

74.7

Three main ethnic groups – Luos, Kisiis and Kurias. Greatly affected by occasional floods and high death rates due to HIV/AIDS. High percentage of orphans and strong belief in early marriage.

North Eastern

4

173

22.8

14.5

Arid land with predominately Muslim population. Very limited support for girls’ education. Early marriages are part of the culture. Nomadic pastoralist communities with limited access to education.

National

 

18,617

91.69

70.7

 

Back to top

Education Fact Sheet

Minister for Education: Hon. Sam ONGERI

Education System: 8-4-4 (since 1985)

(8 years primary, 4 years secondary, 4 years college/university)

Progression from primary to secondary school and from secondary to university is through selection on the basis of performance in the national examinations for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and the Kenya Certificate of fSecondary Education (KCSE), respectively.

Free Primary Education was introduced in January 2003.

Duration of compulsory education: 8 years

Starting age of compulsory education: 6 years

Ending age of compulsory education: 13 years

Enrolment in 2006*

 
Female
Male
Total
Primary
 Gross enrolment rate
104.4
107.3
105.9
Net enrolment rate
76.1
74.8
75.5
Secondary
 Gross enrolment rate
48.6
52.0
50.3
Net enrolment rate
42.0**
43.3**
42.7**

Pupil - Teacher Ratios in 2005*

  • Primary: 39.5 pupils per teacher**
  • Secondary: 31.6 pupils per teacher**

*latest data as of March 2009 from UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
**UNESCO Institute for Statistics estimation.

Management and Administration of Education

The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MoEST) is responsible for the provision of administrative and professional services in education at the national, provincial, and district levels. The Permanent Secretary is the Accounting Officer and overall administrative head, and the Director of Education is responsible for all professional matters in education. In the field, there are Provincial Directors of Education, and District and Municipal Education Officers who are in charge of administration and supervision of education in their respective provinces, districts and municipalities.

See the SACMEQ reports for more information.

Back to top

Kenya - Reading and Math Achievement Levels

SACMEQ II (2000) Reading achievement

  • Percentage of Grade 6 pupils at each level:
Level 1 Pre Reading 1.0 %
Level 2 Emergent Reading 4.6 %
Level 3 Basic Reading 10.8 %
Level 4 Reading for Meaning 20.4 %
Level 5 Interpretive Reading 25.3 %
Level 6 Inferential Reading 19.2 %
Level 7 Analytical Reading 13.6 %
Level 8 Critical Reading 5.1 %

SACMEQ II (2000) Math achievement

  • Percentage of Grade 6 pupils at each level:
Level 1 Pre Numeracy 0.6 %
Level 2 Emergent Numeracy 10.1 %
Level 3 Basic Numeracy 30.7 %
Level 4 Beginning Numeracy 25.7 %
Level 5 Competent Numeracy 17.9 %
Level 6 Mathematically Skilled 10.4 %
Level 7 Concrete Problem Solving 3.3 %
Level 8 Abstract Problem Solving 1.3 %

For more country statistics, see also:

  • StatPlanet - Explore data through Maps and Graphs

SACMEQ Indicators

 
PUPIL PERFORMANCE ON ALL ITEMS
 
SACMEQ I
SACMEQ II
 
READING
READING
MATHEMATICS
REGION
MEAN
SE
MEAN
SE
MEAN
SE
CENTRAL
556.6
5.51
556.7
11.78
579.1
10.26
COAST
552.9
12.72
558.2
16.09
568.2
13.35
EASTERN
542.5
12.31
568.5
12.72
581.3
12.53
NAIROBI
629.5
16.54
624.5
12.23
604.9
12.11
NORTH EASTERN
513.7
13.08
527.3
11.64
548.9
11.45
NYANZA
505.5
8.41
533.8
11.25
555.3
11.08
RIFT VALLEY
564.0
12.44
530.7
12.42
551.4
11.04
WESTERN
523.3
11.47
526.9
8.86
539.1
9.52
KENYA
543.3
4.53
546.5
4.97
563.3
4.64
 
 
SACMEQ I
SACMEQ II
SUB-GROUPS
READING
READING
MATHEMATICS
 
MEAN
SE
MEAN
SE
MEAN
SE
GENDER            
BOYS
544.5
5.32
546.4
5.41
574.2
5.50
GIRLS
542.1
4.64
546.6
5.43
552.4
4.81
 
SOCIO-
ECONOMIC LEVEL 		           
LOW SES
535.6
4.76
525.3
4.58
546.9
4.35
HIGH SES
564.5
6.55
577.5
6.61
587.1
6.79
 
SCHOOL LOCATION            
ISOLATED/RURAL
528.2
4.91
530.8
5.42
552.5
5.46
SMALL TOWN
554.5
9.64
559.0
12.46
572.3
9.21
LARGE CITY
615.6
13.33
606.4
13.56
603.0
15.19
KENYA
543.3
4.53
546.5
4.97
563.3
4.64

Back to top

SACMEQ Reports

  • SACMEQ I Report:
Year
Authors
Title
2001
Juliana Nzomo, Mary Kariuki and Lilian Guantai
 The quality of education: Some policy suggestions based on a survey of schools. SACMEQ Policy Research No.6: Kenya, Paris: IIEP.
  • SACMEQ II Report:
Year
Authors
Title
2005

Eldah Onsomu, Juliana Nzomo and Charles Obiero

 The SACMEQ II Project in Kenya: A Study of the Conditions of Schooling and the Quality of Education. Harare: SACMEQ.
  • National Policy Briefs:
Year
Authors
Title
2011
Wasanga, P. M., Ogle, M. A. & Wambua R. M.
2011
Wasanga, P. M., Ogle, M. A. & Wambua R. M.
2011
Ogle, M. A. & Wambua R. M.
2011
Hungi, N.
  • Other:

- Poster: Variations in Mathematics Test Scores among Boys and Girls across SACMEQ School Systems and across Provinces in Kenya (2007)

Research Papers and Theses

Year
Author(s)
Title
2012
Obiero, C. O.
2010
Hungi, N. & Thuku, F.W.
2010
Kentaro Shimada
2009
Njora Hungi and Florence W. Thuku
 Differences in pupil achievement in Kenya: Implications for policy and practice, International Journal of Educational Development, In Press, Corrected Proof, ISSN 0738-0593
2008
Tia Linda Zuze
 Equity and Effectiveness in East African Primary Schools. Doctoral Thesis, Department of Economics, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
2006
Juliana Nzomo and Demus Makuwa
 How can countries move from cross-national research results to dissemination and then to policy reform? (Case studies from Kenya and Namibia), in: Kenneth N. Ross and Ilona Jürgens Genevois (Eds.) Cross-national Studies of the Quality of Education, Paris: IIEP/UNESCO, Chapter 10, pp 213-228.
2005
Eldah N. Onsomu, George Kosimbei and Moses W. Ngware
 Impact of Gender and Socio-Economic Factors on Primary Education Performance in Kenya. Paper presented to the International Invitational Educational Policy Research Conference, Paris, France, 28 September 2 October, 2005.
2005
Juliana Nzomo
 Towards Informed Decision Making: Contributions of the SACMEQ Research Programme to the Improvement of Primary Education in Kenya. Paper presented to the International Invitational Educational Policy Research Conference, Paris, France, 28 September 2 October, 2005.
2005
Thuku, F.W. and Njora Hungi
 Explaining Differences in Mathematics and Reading Achievement Among Standard 6 Pupils in Kenya: Emerging Policy Issues. Paper presented to the International Invitational Educational Policy Research Conference, Paris, France, 28 September 2 October, 2005.
2005
Njora Hungi
 Modelling Pupil’s Absenteeism: Policy Issues Arising from the SACMEQ Projects. (Pupil- and school-level factors that influence absenteeism rates among Standard 6 primary school pupils in Kenya). Paper presented to the International Invitational Educational Policy Research Conference, Paris, France, 28 September 2 October, 2005.

Back to top

Search icon Search

Contact us

About SACMEQ
Member countries
Ministers meetings
National coordinators
Photo gallery
Research medals
 SACMEQ in the news
External friends
Useful links

Indicators and Reports

SACMEQ indicators
SACMEQ reports
Technical reports

Research and Training

Papers & theses
Training modules
Training workshops

SACMEQ III

Project update
Scientific committee

SACMEQ data

 Data archive application

Visualization

 Research visualization
StatPlanet Map Maker


StatPlanet Map Maker
© 2012 SACMEQ