The national educational system consists of three levels: eight years of compulsory primary education (beginning at age six), four years at the secondary level, and four years of higher education. The government provides free primary and secondary education. Entrance into secondary school is contingent upon obtaining the Kenyan Certificate of Primary Education by passing a national exam.
How Is Kenya’s Education
Basic Education
This cycle is divided into lower (Standards 1-3), middle (Standards 4 & 5), and upper primary (Standards 6-8). At the end of the primary cycle, students take the national Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination (KCPE), supervised by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) under the Ministry of Education. The examination is used primarily to rank and stream students into secondary and technical schools. Students who perform well gain admission into national secondary schools, while those with average scores attend provincial schools.
The curriculum is uniform across the country and includes English, Kiswahili, a local language, mathematics, science, social studies, religious education, creative arts, physical education, and life skills. Exams are held in five subjects: Kiswahili, English, mathematics, science and agriculture, and social studies.
Secondary Education
The secondary cycle lasts four years and is organized into two, two-year stages. At the end of the fourth year, students take examinations administered by the KNEC, which lead to the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). The examination is also used for admissions into universities and training at other institutions of higher education in the technical and vocational stream.
Holders of the KCPE who do not enroll in secondary schools can attend youth polytechnics, which prepare students for Government Trade Tests, levels 1–3. Less than 50 percent of primary school students continue on to secondary school.
There are three types of secondary schools in Kenya – public, private, and harambe. Students with the best scores on the KCPE attend national public schools, while lower scoring students tend to attend provincial and district level schools.
Harambee schools do not receive full funding from the government and are run by local communities. These schools tend to be less selective than public schools.
Many private schools have religious affiliations and typically offer British or – less frequently – American curriculums and qualifications. Many also offer the Kenyan curriculum. Non-formal education centers provide basic education for children who are unable to access formal education, especially in impoverished urban and rural areas.
Students who fail examinations either repeat the final school year or pursue technical and vocational education, either at four-year technical secondary schools or three- to five-year trade schools. Since 2010, graduates of technical secondary schools are eligible for university entry.
Thirty subjects are currently offered at the academic secondary level, grouped into six learning areas:
- Languages (English, Kiswahili, Arabic, German, French)
- Sciences (mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology)
- Applied Sciences (home science, agriculture, computer studies)
- Humanities (history, geography, religious education, life skills, business studies)
- Creative Arts (music, art, and design)
- Technical Subjects (drawing and design, building construction, power and mechanics, metalwork, aviation, woodwork, electronics)
Higher Education
In recent years there has been a huge expansion of the higher education sector in Kenya. Where there were just five public universities in the country in 2005, today there are 22 with plans for as many as 20 new universities. Growth in the university sector has largely come about through the upgrade of already existing colleges. In addition, there are 17 private universities and 14 public and private university constituent colleges. An additional 14 institutions have letters of interim authority to operate. All of the above have the authority to award academic degrees.
In the non-university sector, students attend public and private technical and vocational polytechnics, colleges (teacher and medical colleges), and other tertiary-level TVET institutions (technical training institutes, institutes of technology, and technical and professional colleges). Typically, programs offered at these institutions are two to three years in length, leading to certificates, diplomas, and higher national diplomas.
Bachelor
Offered at universities, bachelor’s degrees require four years of full-time study in most fields; five to six years in architecture, engineering, veterinary science, and medicine. In arts, social sciences and natural sciences most students take four subjects in their first year, three in the second year, and two in the last two years. Most subjects are taught in semester units, with two semesters a year.
Subject selection is based on departmental requirements, university-wide courses, and elective courses. Compulsory core courses are set by the department, and a research project is often required.
Periods of study are quantified as course units, with a four-year degree typically requiring a minimum of 120 units. Units must include faculty-based course units and prescribed common undergraduate courses.
Master
Master of arts/science degrees require two years of full-time study, with assessment by coursework and exam or coursework and thesis. Some universities also offer one-year postgraduate diplomas to holders of bachelor’s degrees with lower divisional grades.
Entry is based on a bachelor’s degree with at least second class honors, more often upper second class honors.
PhD
Doctoral degrees require a master’s degree for entry, with a minimum of two to three years of study. Some universities offer programs by thesis others by coursework and thesis.
At the secondary level, students can undertake three- to five-year craft and trade programs leading to employment or further education.
At the postsecondary level, students can undertake professional advanced programs at national polytechnics, colleges, and institutes.
National polytechnics offer certificate, diploma, and higher diploma programs in various technical fields. Tertiary colleges offer two-year certificate and three-year diploma programs. Technical training institutes offer training at both craft and diploma levels. Institutes of technology offer programs of between two and four years in a range of technical fields.