Education Sector Profile

Education Sector Profile

Education sector is a vital in the development of the economy. The Social Pillar in the Vision 2030 singles out education and training as the vehicle that will drive Kenya into becoming a middle-income economy. The sector envisions “a globally competitive education, training, research and innovation for sustainable development”. In order to realize this, the sector undertakes “to provide, promote and coordinate quality education for sustainable development”. The sector’s overall goal is to increase access to education and training; improve quality and relevance of education; reduce inequality as well as leverage on knowledge and skills in science, technology, and innovation for global competitiveness.

The Sector Goals

• To provide access to quality education and training at all levels.
• To establish, maintain and manage professional teaching service for all public primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.
• To formulate, review and implement appropriate policies, legal and institutional frameworks for the Sector.
• To promote innovativeness and popularize research, technology and innovation in industries and learning institutions.

Key Priority Areas

The Key priority areas financed include the following;

• Teacher resource management with recruitment of 5,000 additional teachers and promotion of the existing establishment;
• Free primary Education;
• Free day secondary Education;
• University Education;
• TVET infrastructure and Research Science and Technology;
• Establishment of seven additional universities i.e Koitalel
• samoei, Bomet, Alupe,Gatundu,Tom Mboya; Kaimosi and Turkana.

Legal Framework

Ministry of Education

The Ministry‘s overall sector objectives are to ensure equitable access, attendance, retention, attainment and achievement in education, science, research and technology by ensuring affordability of services. It also aims at mobilizing resources for sustainable and efficient delivery of relevant educational, research, technological and other educational services. The Ministry is mandated to ensure co-ordination of the provision of education and training for efficient delivery of services between government, donors, NGOs and communities.

Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies with

The following agencies help government in the delivery of education services;

• Education Standards and Quality Assurance Council
• Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development
• Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC)
• Kenya Education Management Institute (KEMI)
• Kenya Institute of Special Education
• Jomo Kenyatta Foundation
• Kenya Literature Bureau
• Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology in Africa
• Kenya National Commission for UNESCO
• National Council for Nomadic
• National Education Board
• Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA)
• TVET Funding Board (TVETFB)
• TVET Curriculum Development,
• Assessment and Certification
• Council (TVET CDACC)
• Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA)
• National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI):
• Kenya National Innovation Agency (KENIA):
• National Research Fund (NRF):
• Biosafety Appeals Board (BAB):
• Higher Education Loans Board (HELB):
• Commission for University Education (CUE)
• Universities Funding Board (UFB)
• Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service Board (KUCCPS)
• Universities and Constituent Colleges
• The Pan African University of Science, Technology and Innovation (PAUSTI)
• Kenya Institute of Education
• Teachers Service Commission
• Commission for Higher Education
• Kenya National Examinations Council
• Kenya Institute of Special Education
• Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology in East Africa (CEMASTEA)
• Kenya Education Staff Institute (KESI)

The Constitution of Kenya (2010)

The Constitution addresses a number of regulatory concerns in regard to education as follows:

• The Constitution guarantees a right to education for every person as one of the socio-economic rights under Article 43.
• Article 53 provides that every child has a right to free and compulsory basic education.
• Article 53(1) (d) further provides that children are to be protected from abuse, inhuman treatment and violence.
• The State is mandated under Article 55 to take measures including affirmative action to ensure that the youth access relevant education, training and employment.
• Article 53(2) stipulates that a child‘s best interests are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child.
• Article 54 provides persons with disabilities the right of access to educational institutions and facilities; and that such persons are integrated into the society to the extent that is compatible with their interests.
• Minority and marginalized groups are to be provided with special opportunities in educational and economic fields under Article 56(b).
• Every person (including children) has a right to equality before the law and freedom from discrimination under Article 27.

It is the a responsibility of the national government to formulate educational policies, set standards, develop curricula, oversee examinations and grant charters for universities. The national government is given mandate over universities, tertiary education and institutions and other institutions of research and higher learning, primary schools, special education, secondary schools and special education institutions. The national government is also given the responsibility of promotion of sports and sports education, libraries and cultural activities. The county governments have power over pre-primary education, village polytechnics, home craft centres and child care facilities.

The Education Act, Cap. 211

The Education Act is the main statute addressing education and mainly provides for the regulation and progressive development of the sector. Other Statutes that deal with issues on education and training include;

• Children‘s Act No. 9 of 2001
• Kenya National Examinations Council Act Cap. 225A
• The Teachers Service Commission Act Cap. 212
• Universities Act
• Council of Legal Education Act Cap. 16A
• Industrial Training Act Cap. 237
• Borstal Institutions Act, Cap. 92
• Kenya National Library Services Board Act Cap. 225
• Persons with Disabilities Act No. 14 of 2003

Characteristics of the sector

• Basic formal education starts at age six years.
• Primary school is for eight years, high school, four years and university also four years.
• Kenyan literacy rate range between 75 and 85 percent, with the female rate about 10 points lower than that for males.
• More than half of secondary schools are owned by government; 5,296 public schools compared to 2,015 private schools.
• There are enough post secondary school institutions to absorb those who complete the secondary school level.

Education System

The Kenya education system includes the following stages;

• Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE)
• Primary Education
• Secondary Education
• Tertiary Education /TIVET
• Adult Basic Education and Training(ABET)/ Non-Formal Education (NFE)
• University

Non-Formal Education

Non-Formal Education (NFE) was introduced in Kenya to address the education needs of children and some adults who are unable to attend formal schools due to various social and economic reasons. NFE is accessed at Non-Formal Schools (NFSs) and Non-Formal Education Centres (NFECs). NFSs and NFECs operate mainly with the support of governmental, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and communities. NFSs target primary school age children using the 8.4.4 curriculum whereas NFECs target school age children and youth, below 18 years and use various curricula including the Ministry of Education Non-Formal Education curriculum.

Sector Resource allocation

The Sector’s budget and resource allocation has increased from KES. 339,924 Million in 2016/17 to 349,861 million in 2017/18. The total resource requirement of the Sector for the 2017/2018 is KES 392,241Million comprising of KES 32,061 M development expenditure and KES 360,180 recurrent expenditure while the gross resource ceilings for the sector were set at KES 326,516M recurrent expenditures and KES. 23,345 M capital expenditures in the Budget Review and Outlook Paper (BROP). This translated to a gross increment of KES 9,937 B (KES 10,767B increase and KES 0.83B decrease in recurrent and development respectively) from 2016/17 Financial Year.

Challenges

• Overcrowding in schools and lecture rooms;
• High pupil/teacher ratio;
• Inadequate infrastructure and equipment;
• Inequitable regional distribution of teachers;
• Lack of empowerment of managers to monitor, standards and quality in their schools;
• There is a mismatch between the skills learned in training institutions and skills demands of the industry;
• Weak mechanisms to monitor standards and quality assurance in training institutions;
• Low funding to universities and
• Lack of the secondary equivalent for Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET).

2017 KENYA ACCREDITED UNIVERSITIES

The accredited universities by The Commission for University Education (CUE) are as follows;

1. University of Nairobi (UoN)
2. Moi University (MU)
3. Kenyatta University (KU)
4. Egerton University (EU)
5. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
6. Maseno University (Maseno)
7. Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST)
8. Dedan Kimathi University of Technology
9. Chuka University
10. Technical University of Kenya
11. Technical University of Mombasa
12. Pwani University
13. Kisii University
14. University of Eldoret
15. Maasai Mara University
16. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology
17. Laikipia University
18. South Eastern Kenya University
19. Meru University of Science and Technology
20. Multimedia University of Kenya
21. University of Kabianga
22. Karatina University
23. Kibabii University
24. Rongo University
25. The Co-operative University of Kenya
26. Taita Taveta University
27. Murang’a University of Technology
28. University of Embu
29. Machakos University
30. Kirinyaga University
31. Public University Constituent Colleges
32. Garissa University College (MU)
33. Alupe University College (MU)
34. Kaimosi Friends University College (MMUST)
35. Tom Mboya University College (Maseno)
36. Turkana University College (MMUST)

Private Chartered Universities

1. University of Eastern Africa, Baraton
2. Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA)
3. Daystar University
4. Scott Christian University
5. United States International University
6. Africa Nazarene University
7. Kenya Methodist University
8. Paul’s University
9. Pan Africa Christian University
10. Strathmore University
11. Kabarak University
12. Mount Kenya University
13. Africa International University
14. Kenya Highlands Evangelical University
15. Great Lakes University of Kisumu
16. KCA University
17. Adventist University of Africa
18. KAG EAST University

Private University Constituent Colleges

1. Hekima University College (CUEA)
2. Tangaza University College (CUEA)
3. Marist International University College (CUEA)
4. Regina Pacis University College (CUEA)
5. Uzima University College (CUEA)

Institutions with Letters of Interim Authority

1. Kiriri Women’s University of Science and Technology
2. Aga Khan University
3. GRETSA University
4. Presbyterian University of East Africa
5. The East African University
6. Management University of Africa
7. Riara University
8. Pioneer International University
9. UMMA University
10. International Leadership University
11. Zetech University
12. Lukenya University
13. RAF International University

The information under the education sector is arranged as follows;

Education Sector Profile

Universities and Colleges

Schools

Sports

Specialized Training Centers

Investment opportunities