Strengthening the Foundation of Education and Training in Kenya : Opportunities and Challenges in Primary and General Secondary Education
The new Government has instituted immediate policy changes in the education sector to jump-start the system. Under the Free Primary Education (FPE) policy started this year, school fees and levies are abolished at primary level, thereby greatly rel...
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| Format: | Education Sector Review |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
Washington, DC
2013
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2004/03/3044387/kenya-strengthening-foundation-education-training-kenya http://hdl.handle.net/10986/14714 |
| Summary: | The new Government has instituted
immediate policy changes in the education sector to
jump-start the system. Under the Free Primary Education
(FPE) policy started this year, school fees and levies are
abolished at primary level, thereby greatly relieving the
household burden of financing primary education. Households
immediately responded. Including both public and non-public
schools, the primary education gross enrollment rate jumped
to over 100 percent, with close to 1 million enrollment
increase from the previous year. Enrollment in primary
schools has reached 7.2 million this year from 6.3 million
in 2002. Quality improvement measures have also taken place
at this level, with nationwide provision of funding directly
to primary schools through a capitation grant of 1,020
Kenyan Shillings per pupil to finance the purchase of
textbooks and other teaching and learning materials, as well
as to support other school operation activities. The
expansion of school enrollment and the improvement of
education quality at primary level will continue during the
subsequent years. The development at this level has
increased pressure on as well as provided opportunities to
the other subsectors. A wider sector reform agenda needs to
be put in place immediately. The Kenya National Education
Conference held in November 2003 provided an opportunity for
the discussions of a sector strategic plan with all the
stakeholders. A sector-wide program with wider coverage will
be developed based on the sector strategic plan. This sector
review has emphasized the primary and secondary subsectors,
although the postsecondary levels are covered in the
discussions of the system coverage, management, and resource
allocation. This is mainly owing to the fact that a labor
market study is planned to be conducted jointly by the Bank
and the Government. The information from that study will be
crucial to the analysis of the external efficiency of the
sector, particularly with close linkages with postsecondary
level education and training. |
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