Kenya’s education system is grappling with severe understaffing, inadequate ICT facilities, and physical infrastructure, which are key challenges hampering education development.
A new report by the Zizi Afrique Foundation and Usawa Agenda, titled “State of Education in Kenya,” states that delayed capitation for public schools also hinders the delivery of effective education outcomes.
The study reveals a significant staffing shortage of approximately 100,000 teachers across all learning institutions, ranging from primary and junior schools to secondary schools, and Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs).
Additionally, there are existing infrastructure gaps in Kenyan schools, with more than twice the recommended number of learners using a single toilet, across rural, urban, public, and private institutions.
According to the report, the national average ratio for boys is 66:1, while for girls, the ratio is 62:1. The recommended ratio by the Ministry of Education is 30 boys to 1 washroom and 25 girls to 1 toilet.
“In terms of infrastructure, we have basic Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) needs, and emerging needs arising from new learning areas under the CBE curriculum that necessitate laboratories, technology access and digital literacy for both our learners and teachers,” said Dr. John Mugo, CEO of Zizi Afrique Foundation.
On Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the steady increase in budgetary commitments over the last decade has risen to KES 14.2 billion in the 2023/24 financial year.
This has led to a growth in institutions, reflected in a 35.7 per cent increase between the financial years 2018/19 and 2022/23.
However, these institutions face a staffing shortage of 9,121 trainers, as well as scarcity in infrastructure, training equipment, ICT integration, capitation, and scholarships.
Regarding Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE), the report notes a 5 per cent increase in enrolment between 2018 and 2021. This was informed by the rise in ECDE centres across the country from the financial year 2022/23, from 46,623 centres to 47,666 centres in 2023/24.
However, the increase is against the backdrop of teacher reduction from 92,359 in 2019 to 69,561 in 2022.
ECDE is a devolved function to county governments, with the national government providing only policy, curriculum, and strategic support.
Usawa Agenda Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel Manyasa said that while the increase in nursery school education is positive, the devolution of this function means a lack of standardisation in the quality and access to early education across the country.
“Our research shows that children out of ECDE going age that are out of school in Mandera is 51.4 per cent and Marsabit is 33.3 per cent, which is the lowest access, while Kisumu is 1.3 per cent and Nakuru is 1.8 per cent, the highest access,” he said.
The report also reveals learning outcomes and literacy levels disparities, where only four in 10 Grade 4 learners could read and comprehend a Grade 3-level English story.
Additionally, learners in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) and rural areas underperformed those in non-ASAL and urban areas. A case in point is the Northeastern region, where only 2 out of 10 Grade 4 learners could read and comprehend a Grade 3-level English story.
The report further notes that, although CBE has included digital literacy and coding in elementary school, teachers should be adequately prepared with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effectively teach these new technologies.
However, as of December 2024, only 21 per cent of teachers in public junior schools were trained in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning areas, with 35 per cent of the schools having no STEM teacher.
According to the report, only 48 per cent of learners in public junior schools had access to laboratory facilities. Early this year, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) hired new teachers with an emphasis on STEM.
The report advocates for a robust collaboration framework that empowers communities, the private sector, development partners, and civil society to play a significant role in contributing to public education resource allocation and management.
