Education in Kenya
Encyclopedia

History

Historical records from the travels of Johann Ludwig Krapf
Johann Ludwig Krapf
Johann Ludwig Krapf was a German missionary in East Africa, as well as an explorer, linguist, and traveler. Krapf played an important role in exploring East Africa with Johannes Rebmann. They were the first Europeans to see Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro...

 and Johannes Rebmann
Johannes Rebmann
Johannes Rebmann was a German missionary and explorer credited with feats including being the first European, along with his colleague Johann Ludwig Krapf, to enter Africa from the Indian Ocean coast. In addition, he was the first European to find Kilimanjaro...

 reveal that Kenyans had access to education as far back as 1728 with a Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...

 manuscript Utendi wa Tambuka
Utendi wa Tambuka
Utend̠i wa Tambuka or Utenzi wa Tambuka , also known as Kyuo kya Hereḳali , is an epic poem in the Swahili language dated 1728...

, (the book of Heraclius) attesting to the fact. The CMS missionaries interacted with locals in the coastal town of Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....

 and set up one of the earliest mission schools in the country at Rabai
Rabai
Rabai, also Rabai Mpya, is a historic location in Kilifi District in the Coast Province of Kenya about 12 miles northwest of the city of Mombasa. It is the first place in Kenya where missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, CMS, established a Christian mission.Johann Ludwig Krapf came to...

 in 1846.

With the expansion of the railway from Mombasa to Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...

, the Missionaries expanded their work into Kenya's interior. An attempt to set up a school and mission at Yatta in 1894 was resisted by the Kamba tribe. The missionaries then penetrated into western Kenya and set up schools and various missions. The first school in western Kenya was established at Kaimosi in 1902. During the colonial era, the number of Kenyans with exposure to education steadily increased and a good number of them were privileged to proceed abroad for further education. Among those who furthered their education abroad in the colonial era were Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyattapron.] served as the first Prime Minister and President of Kenya. He is considered the founding father of the Kenyan nation....

, who attended Woodbrooke College and London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...

, Charles Njonjo
Charles Njonjo
Charles Mugane Njonjo is a former Kenyan Attorney General , and Minister for Constitutional Affairs .- Biography :...

, who attended Grays Inn Law School, Peter Mbiyu Koinange, who attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...

, Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki is the current and third President of the republic of Kenya.Kibaki was previously Vice President of Kenya for ten years from 1978–1988 and also held cabinet ministerial positions, including a widely acclaimed stint as Minister for Finance , Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for...

 who attended London School of Economics, R. Mugo Gatheru who attended Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University is a coeducational, private university with campuses in Chicago, Illinois and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university is named in honor of both former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The university's curriculum is based on...

, Tom Mboya
Tom Mboya
Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya was a prominent Kenyan politician during Jomo Kenyatta's government. He was founder of the Nairobi People's Congress Party, a key figure in the formation of the Kenya African National Union , and the Minister of Economic Planning and Development at the time of his death...

, who attended Ruskin College, Oxford
Ruskin College, Oxford
Ruskin College is an independent educational institution in Oxford, England. It is named after the essayist and social critic John Ruskin and specialises in providing educational opportunities for adults with few or no qualifications...

, Masinde Muliro
Masinde Muliro
Masinde Muliro was a Kenyan politician, one of the central figures in the shaping of the political landscape in Kenya. A renowned freedom fighter, he campaigned for the restoration of multi-party democracy in Kenya in his later years....

, who attended University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...

, Julius Gikonyo Kiano who attended Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...

, Paul Ngei
Paul Ngei
The Honourable Paul Joseph Ngei was a Kenyan politician who was imprisoned for his role in the anti-colonial movement, but who went on to hold several government ministerial positions after Kenya became independent....

 and Barack Obama Sr., who attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system...

. Julius Gikonyo Kiano was the first Kenyan to obtain a Ph.D. He returned to Kenya and was instrumental in establishing a school in Githunguri. The trend steadily rose over the years and by the time of independence in 1963, 840,000 African children were attending elementary school.

The earliest schools in Kenya

1. School at Rabai
Rabai
Rabai, also Rabai Mpya, is a historic location in Kilifi District in the Coast Province of Kenya about 12 miles northwest of the city of Mombasa. It is the first place in Kenya where missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, CMS, established a Christian mission.Johann Ludwig Krapf came to...

 near Mombasa - established 1846

2. Friends School Kaimosi, now Kaimosi Friends Primary School
Kaimosi Friends Primary School
Kaimosi Friends Primary School, is the oldest formal school in Kenya. It is located in Kaimosi in Western Province. The school was established in 1903 as Friends Africa Industrial Mission by the Quaker Missionaries of the United States of America, who left South Africa to spread Quaker mission...

, established 1903

3. Maseno School
Maseno School
Maseno School is one of the oldest schools in Kenya. It was established in 1906 by the Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society as a school for the children of African chiefs. The first administrator of the school was Rev...

 established 1906.

4. Government Indian School or The Duke of Gloucester School, now Jamhuri High School
Jamhuri High School
Jamhuri High School, formerly known as Government Indian School and later The Duke of Gloucester School, is one of the oldest schools in Kenya. It was founded as a Railway Educational Centre in 1906...

, established 1906

5. Tumutumu Mission School, now Tumutumu Girls’ High School established in 1908.

6. European Girls' School, now Kenya High School established 1908.

7. Thogoto School, now Thogoto Teachers’ Training College established 1910.

8. Kaimosi Girls High School, established 1920

9. Kaimosi Boys High School, established 1921

10. Mang'u High School
Mang'u High School
Mang'u High School is a national high school established in 1925, located near Thika, Kenya.-History:The school was started in 1925 by a Dutch priest, Father Witte, C.S.Sp. at Kabaa. In 1939, the school was moved to a new site at Mang'u Village on 22 acres of land and because of accessibility it...

, established 1925.

11. Alliance School, now Alliance High School (Kenya) established in 1926.

12. St. Mary's School Yala
St. Mary's School Yala
St. Mary’s School Yala is a provincial school for boys situated along the Kisumu-Busia highway in Yala Township in the Nyanza Province of Western Kenya....

, established in 1927.

13. Highlands High School, now Moi Girls' High School - Eldoret established in 1928.

14. Kisii School
Kisii School
Kisii School is a secondary school in the Gusii or Kisii in Kenya. It was started in 1932 by the Young Kavirondo Association.It is one of the three 'K' schools which were started by the natives. These schools include; Kisii School, Kakamega Boys School and Kagumo High in central province...

 - established in 1932

Pre and Post Colonial Education

Kenya began a campaign for free Primary Education after independence in 1963. Since then, her system of education has undergone transformation twice. Before independence elementary education was based on the colonial system of education. In 1967, Kenya, together with Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...

 and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...

, formed the East African Community
East African Community
The East African Community is an intergovernmental organisation comprising the five east African countries Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Pierre Nkurunziza, the President of the Republic of Burundi, is the current Chairman of the East African Community. The EAC was originally...

. The three countries adopted a single system of education, the 7-4-2-3, which consisted of 7 years of primary education, 4 years of secondary education, 2 years of high school and 3–5 years of university education. Under the system, which was similar to the British system of education, children began their elementary (primary) education at the age of 7 and completed at the age of 13 after sitting for a regional examination known as the East African Certificate of Primary Education - EACPE. After primary education those who passed very well proceeded to secondary school which ended four years later with the writing of the East African Certificate of Education examination - EACE. The highest level of education that qualified one to attend university was attained after two years of high school at that time distinct from secondary school with students sitting for the East African Advanced Certificate of Education - EAACE.

With the collapse of the East African Community in 1977, Kenya continued with the same system of Education but changed the examination names from their regional identity to a national identity. The East African Certificate of Primary Education became the Certificate of Primary education - CPE, the East African Certificate of Education became the Kenya Certificate of Education - KCE and the East African Advanced Certificate of Education became the Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education - KACE. In 1985 President Daniel arap Moi
Daniel arap Moi
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was the President of Kenya from 1978 until 2002.Daniel arap Moi is popularly known to Kenyans as 'Nyayo', a Swahili word for 'footsteps'...

, introduced the 8-4-4 system of education, which adopted eight years of primary education, 4 years of secondary education and 4 years of university education. With the introduction of the 8-4-4 system CPE became KCPE - Kenya Certificate of Primary Education while KCE became the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
KCSE stands for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, which is taken at the completion of Secondary Education.The first KCSE exam was held in 1989 at the same time as the last Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education , which it replaced as the entrance requirement for Kenyan Universities.The...

 - KCSE.

Since 1985, public education in Kenya has been based on an 8-4-4 system, with eight years of primary education followed by four years of secondary school and four years of college or university. Some private schools however, offer a system of education similar to the British system of education with ordinary level exams, "O-levels" taken at the end of 4 years of secondary school and advanced levels "A-levels", taken after two years of high school. Out of all children in Kenya about 85 percent attend primary school. 75 percent of those who complete primary education proceed to secondary schools and 60 percent of those who complete secondary school proceed to higher institutions of education which include business and vocational institutions, national polytechnics, public and private universities within the country. Over 950,000 Kenyans have furthered their education abroad with a majority of graduates from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, UK, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, the US, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

 and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...

.

Educational Quality

Educational quality has recently received a lot of attention in Kenya. The government's main document in this effort, the Kenya Education Sector Support Programme for 2005–2010, established the National Assessment Centre (NAC) to monitor learning achievement. In 2010, the NAC released the results of its first assessment.

In 2009, in collaboration with the NAC, Uwezo Kenya conducted an assessment of the basic literacy and numeracy skills of children ages 6–16. The Annual Learning Assessment (ALA) reached villages in 70 out of 158 districts in Kenya, and assessed nearly 70,000 children in their homes. The ALA was set at a Standard 2 level, which is the level where students are supposed to have achieved basic competency in reading English and Kiswahili and completing simple arithmetic problems. The chart below shows the percent of children who could not read a Standard 2 level paragraph or solve Standard 2 level subtraction problems:
Level of Children Assessed Cannot Read English Paragraph Cannot Read Swahili Paragraph Cannot Do Subtraction
Standard 2 85% 81% 79%
Standard 5 27% 23% 30%
Standard 8 4% 4% 10%


Key Facts about education in Kenya, based on the results of the Uwezo 2009 assessment:
  1. Literacy levels are low, and are substantially lower in certain regions. Girls tend to perform better in reading English and Kiswahili, while boys tend to perform better in math.
  2. Literacy levels are lower in public schools than private schools.
  3. Most children can solve real world, “ethno-mathematics” problems, while fewer can solve similar math problems in an abstract, pencil and paper format.
  4. 5% of children are not enrolled in school, but the problem is far worse in particular regions.
  5. About half of children are enrolled in pre-school.
  6. Many children are older than expected for their class level, including 40% of children in class 2, and 60% of children in class 7.
  7. North Eastern Province and arid districts in Rift Valley and Eastern Provinces have particularly low performance; and many older children, especially girls, are not attending school.
  8. Many families pay for extra tuition, which focuses heavily on drilling and exam preparation.
  9. Schools struggle to plan their budgets because they receive funds at unpredictable times.
  10. Children whose mothers are educated, particularly beyond primary school, tend to have much higher rates of literacy and numeracy.
  11. About 15% of students are absent on a given day, with much higher absenteeism in certain districts.
  12. There is a severe shortage of teachers, estimated at 4 teachers per school.

Primary Education

Primary education in Kenya begins at the age of 6 or 7 after completion of a year of kindergarten commonly known as Nursery School
Nursery school
A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of one and five years, staffed by suitably qualified and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare...

 or pre-unit. The first class or year of primary school is known as Standard 1, the final year as Standard 8 and primary school children are known as pupils. The school year at both primary and secondary levels, begins in January and ends in November. Students get 3 school vacations in April, August and December. At the end of the school year students advance to the next grade. Students who completely fail their end of year exams usually repeat the class the following year instead of advancing to a higher grade. Most primary schools are day schools with pupils living at home. Fewer schools at primary level are boarding schools compared to secondary schools. All public primary school pupils sit for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination at the end of the school year in Standard eight.

In January 2003 President Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki is the current and third President of the republic of Kenya.Kibaki was previously Vice President of Kenya for ten years from 1978–1988 and also held cabinet ministerial positions, including a widely acclaimed stint as Minister for Finance , Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for...

 re-introduced free Primary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...

 which previously existed before the mid 80s when the government adopted cost sharing measures that led to a minor level of school fees charged by primary schools for text books, PTA, and extra curricular activities. Since 2003, education in public schools became free and universal (but not compulsory).. On learning that primary education had once again become free in Kenya, Kimani Maruge
Kimani Maruge
Kimani Ng'ang'a Maruge holds the Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to start primary school—he enrolled in the first grade on January 12th 2004, aged 84...

, a Kenyan illiterate farmer and the world's oldest person to enroll in primary school joined Kapkenduiywo primary school in Eldoret
Eldoret
Eldoret is a town in western Kenya and the administrative centre of Uasin Gishu District of Rift Valley Province. Lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about 2100 metres above sea level at the airport to more than 2700 metres in nearby areas...

 at the age of 84. He was elected head boy at the age of 86 in 2005.

Secondary Education

Secondary schools in Kenya fall into three categories - government funded, harambee and private. Government funded schools are divided into national, provincial and district levels. Harambee schools do not receive full funding from the government and private schools are run by private organizations or individuals. After taking the primary school leaving exam and successfully passing, government funded schools select students in order of scores. Students with the highest scores gain admission into national schools while those with average scores are selected into provincial and district schools. Harambee schools accept students with low scores. Students who fail examinations either repeat the final school year or pursue technical training opportunities. A number of students also drop out of school by choice due to poor scores.

Under the current system, students attend secondary school for four years before sitting for the school leaving exam at the end of the fourth year. The first class or year of secondary school is known as form 1 and the final year is form 4. At the end of the fourth year, from October to November students sit for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
KCSE stands for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, which is taken at the completion of Secondary Education.The first KCSE exam was held in 1989 at the same time as the last Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education , which it replaced as the entrance requirement for Kenyan Universities.The...

 examination. In 2008, the government introduced plans to offer free Secondary education to all Kenyans.

Private secondary schools in Kenya are generally high cost schools offering students an alternative system of education with better or more luxurious facilities compared to public schools. They are often favored for prestige. Most private schools in Kenya offer the British system of education which includes “O-levels“ and “A-levels”. Very few offer the American system of education and good number of them offer the Kenya system. Some of the oldest private schools in Kenya include Loreto Convent Msongari, Nairobi (1921), St. Mary's School, Nairobi
St. Mary's School, Nairobi
St. Mary's School, popularly known to many Nairobians as Saints, is a day school owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi. It was founded in the Parklands area of Nairobi in 1939 and was long run by Holy Ghost Fathers from Blackrock College in Dublin in Ireland.-History:In 1946, the...

, Braeburn School, Consolata School, Strathmore School
Strathmore School
Strathmore School is Kenya's first multi-racial school established in 1961 in the Lavington area of Nairobi district. It began as a residential Sixth Form College offering British-styled A-level courses and in 1963 switched from the Cambridge School Certificate Examination to the London GCE. In...

, Oshwal Academy
Oshwal Academy
Oshwal Academy is a private, co-educational institution situated in Mombasa, Kenya, which is owned and managed by Oshwal Education and Relief Board , which also owns several private schools and hostels in Nairobi, Kenya...

, Rift Valley Academy
Rift Valley Academy
Rift Valley Academy is a Christian boarding school located in Kijabe, Kenya, founded in 1906 by Charles Hurlburt.-Early years:Having met with Hurlburt in the White House in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt visited Kijabe shortly after leaving office four years later...

, Aga Khan Academy, Kenton College and Brookhouse School
Brookhouse School
Brookhouse International School is located in a rural suburb of Nairobi, about 14 km from the city centre. The school was opened in 1981 and now occupies a site which includes a kindergarten, junior and senior schools. There is boarding accommodation for 150 students. Sports facilities include a...

,

KCSE Grading System
Grade A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- E
Points 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1


The average grade is based on performance in the eight subjects. Where a candidate sits for more than eight subjects, the average grade is based on the best eight subjects. University matriculation is based on the best eight and performance in particular subjects relevant to degree courses.
Example below:
Subject Group Grade Points
English 1 B+ 10
Kishwahili 1 A- 11
Mathematics 1 A 12
History & Government 3 B 9
Geography 3 A- 11
Physics 2 B+ 10
Chemistry 2 B- 8
Biology 2 A- 11


The total number of points is 81.

The average grade is 81 divided by 8, which equals 10.1 (approximately 10.0 points) which is Grade B+ according to the grading system. This student qualifies to join one of the Public Universities for his good score. Training institutions and faculties and departments determine their own minimum entry requirements.

Students who manage a grade of C+ qualify to do a degree course at the University. Owing to competition, and fewer places at the University, those with B and in a few cases B-, and above are taken for degree courses at the Public
Public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individuals, and the public is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the Öffentlichkeit or public sphere. The concept of a public has also been defined in political science,...

 Universities and benefit by paying government-subsidised fees. The rest join private
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...

 universities or middle-level colleges.

Interestingly, the number of students admitted to public universities through J.A.B depends on the total number of beds available in all the public universities. Nonetheless, those who miss out but attained the minimum university entry mark of C+ or C with a relevant diploma certificate are admitted through the parallel degree programmes (module II) if they can afford the full fees for the course.

This has been the subject of much discussion with people questioning the rationale and morality of locking out qualified students from public institutions yet still admitting those who come from financially able families.

Vocational Schools and Colleges

These are two or three year post secondary school institutions also termed colleges. They award certificates, diplomas and higher national diplomas in various disciplines after successful completion of relevant courses. Courses offered by these institutions include Business Education, Accounting, Secretarial Studies, Nursing, Teacher Training, Computer Studies, Journalism, Media, Design, Culinary Studies, Foreign Languages, Tourism and Technical Skills. In order of credibility or accreditation, national polytechnics rank first, followed by government training institutes, teacher training colleges and private institutions. Although generally termed colleges, these institution do not award degrees. Degrees are only awarded by universities

University Education

There are 30 universities in Kenya, 7 of which are public and 23 private. The 7 public universities have a total of 12 constituent colleges, The University of Nairobi is the oldest university in Kenya.

Public Universities

1. University of Nairobi
University of Nairobi
The University of Nairobi is the largest university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution goes back to 1956, it did not become an independent university until 1970 when the University of East Africa was split into three independent universities: Makerere University in...

  • Kenya Polytechnic University College - a constituent college of the University of Nairobi.
  • South Eastern University College - a constituent college of the University of Nairobi.
  • University of Nairobi - Kisumu Campus


2. Kenyatta University
Kenyatta University
Kenyatta University, located in Nairobi, Kenya is the second largest public university in the country . The University is located in Kahawa, about from Nairobi's city centre, along the Nairobi-Thika road.- History :...

 - KU
  • Pwani University College- Kilifi - a constituent college of Kenyatta University.
  • Mombasa Polytechnic University College - a constituent college of Kenyatta University.


3. Moi University
Moi University
Moi University is a Kenyan public university located in Eldoret, western Kenya. It is one of seven fully fledged public institutions of higher learning in Kenya...

,
  • Narok University College- Narok - a constituent college of Moi University.
  • Kabianga University College - a constituent college of Moi University.


4. Egerton University
Egerton University
Egerton University is a public university; the main campus is in Njoro, near the city of Nakuru, Kenya. The chancellor is Ambassador Bethuel K Kiplagat and the vice chancellor is Professor J. K. Tuitoek.-History:...

  • Kisii University College - a constituent college of Egerton University.
  • Chuka University College - a constituent college of Egerton University.
  • Laikipia University College - a constituent college of Egerton University.


5. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology is a public university near Nairobi, Kenya. It is situated in Juja, 36 kilometres North East of Nairobi, along Nairobi-Thika Highway. It offers courses in Engineering, Science, Architecture and Building sciences...

 - JKUAT
  • Multimedia University College of Kenya - a constituent college of JKUAT.
  • Meru University College of Science and Technology - a constituent college of JKUAT.
  • Kimathi University College of Technology - a constituent college of JKUAT.


6. Maseno University
Maseno University
Maseno University is a university based in Maseno, near Kisumu, in Kenya and was founded in 1991. It is one of the seven public universities in Kenya. The University is located in Maseno Township along Kisumu-Busia road, some 25 km from Kisumu City and 400 km west of Nairobi. It has two campuses:...

  • Bondo University College - a constituent college of Maseno University.


7. Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, formerly Western College of Science and Technology, is a public university in Kenya. The university is named after Masinde Muliro, a beloved Kenyan politician who helped found the school. Muliro died in 1992....

.

Private Universities

There are 3 categories of private universities: 1. Chartered Universities - fully accredited universities, by the Commission for Higher Education, 2. Universities, which had been offering degrees long before the establishment of the Commission for Higher Education and 3. Universities authorised to operate with Letters of Interim Authority (LIA)

Chartered Universities

1. Alliant International University
Alliant International University
Alliant International University is a private, non-profit higher education institution based in San Diego, California. It offers programs in six California cities and four locations outside the United States...

 or United States International University - USIU.

2. Catholic University of Eastern Africa
Catholic University of Eastern Africa
-History:CUEA was founded on 3 September in 1984 in Nairobi Kenya as a Graduate School of Theology, under the name the Catholic Higher Institute of Eastern Africa . The Institute was founded by the regional ecclesiastical authority known as Association of Member Episcopal Conferences of Eastern...

 - CUEA.

3. Daystar University
Daystar University
Daystar is a Christian liberal arts university in Nairobi, Kenya.Daystar's original campus is close to Nairobi city centre, but here is no room to expand at that location. Therefore, in the last decade a new campus has been built at Athi River, some 40 km to the south-east of the city, on the...

.

4. Kabarak University
Kabarak University
Kabarak University is a purpose-built Christian based university on a 600 acre farm located twenty kilometres from Nakuru, Kenya on the Nakuru-Eldama Ravine road in Kenya's Rift Valley. The campus features an outdoor swimming pool, sports areas, tree-shaded lawns and residential facilities for...

.

5. Strathmore University
Strathmore University
Strathmore University is a private university based in Nairobi, Kenya. Strathmore College was started in 1961, as an Advanced level sixth form College offering science and arts subjects, by a group of professionals who formed a charitable educational trust...

.

6. University of Eastern Africa, Baraton
University of Eastern Africa, Baraton
The University of Eastern Africa, Baraton is a private coeducational Seventh-Day Adventist university located about 50 km from Eldoret Kenya. It offers various degrees in a number of graduate and undergraduate programs in the fields of Business, the Humanities, Agriculture, Technology, Health...

.

7. Africa Nazarene University
Africa Nazarene University
Africa Nazarene University is a liberal arts university located in Ongata Rongai, Kenya affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. It is the first Nazarene liberal arts university established outside of the United States...

.

8. St. Paul’s University.

9. Kenya Methodist University
Kenya Methodist University
The Kenya Methodist University is a Chartered private University founded by the Methodist Church in Kenya. It is situated within woodland on the North Eastern slopes of Mount Kenya, five kilometers from Meru Town...

.

10. Pan Africa Christian University
Pan Africa Christian University
Pan Africa Christian University is a Christian university in Nairobi, Kenya. The institution is a fully accredited and chartered private university, approved by the Kenyan Commission for Higher Education, and authorized by the Government of Kenya to award undergraduate and graduate degrees.-...

.

11. Scott Theological College.
12. Mt. Kenya University.

Universities with Letters of Interim Authority (LIA)

1. Aga Khan University
Aga Khan University
The Aga Khan University is a coeducational research university spread over three continents. It was granted its charter in 1983 as Pakistan's first private, autonomous university. AKU was founded by His Highness the Aga Khan, and is part of the Aga Khan Development Network...

.

2. Great Lakes University of Kisumu.

3. Kiriri Women's University of Science and Technology.

4. The Presbyterian University of East Africa
Presbyterian University of East Africa
The Presbyterian University of East Africa is an institution of higher education in Kenya registered with the Ministry of Higher Education and the Commission for Higher Education ....

.

5. Adventist University of Africa
Adventist University of Africa
The Adventist University of Africa is a Seventh-day Adventist university created for the purpose of providing post-graduate education throughout Africa.Adventist University of Africa has two departments, the Seminary, and the School of Graduate Studies...

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6. KCA University
KCA University
KCA University is a private, non-profit institution, founded in July 1989 as Kenya College of Accountancy by the to improve the quality of accountancy and financial management training in the country. KCAU is located on Thika Road in Ruaraka, Nairobi, Kenya...

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7. Gretsa University
Gretsa University
Gretsa University is a private university located in Thika, Kenya. Gretsa University was started in 2006 when it opened its doors to its first batch of students pursuing Degree programmes in Hospitality, Tourism and Business.The University is recognized and certified by Commission for Higher...

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Universities operating with Certificates of Registration

1. The Nairobi International School of Theology.

2. Western College of Hospitality and Professional Studies.

2. The East Africa School of Theology.

3. The Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology

4. Kenya Highlands Bible College
Kenya Highlands Bible College
Kenya Highlands Bible College is an educational institution in Kericho, Kenya.- History :The ideological heritage of educational instruction at the College dates back to 1932 when missionaries of World Gospel Mission saw the need for training their converts. This instruction not only needed to...

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Factors Affecting Education in Kenya

In 1963 the Kenyan government promised free primary education to its citizens. In the early 70s primary school fees were abolished but in the mid 80s cost sharing measures between the government and its citizens led to the re-introduction of minor fee charges by primary schools. As the trend continued with schools requiring parents to pay fees such as PTA, harambee, textbooks, uniforms, caution fees, exam fees and extra curricular activity fees, most parents became overburdened and unable to raise such fees. Those who could not afford the money to pay for their children's school fees often had their children drop out of the school. Many children were also forced to drop out of school when teachers would not allow them to take exams. To pressurize parents to pay fees, schools often sent children home during the final exams.

The growth of Kenya's education sector has exceeded expectations. After the first university was established in 1970, six other public universities and 23 private universities have been established. Although Kenya has its own universities, some parents prefer to send their children to Universities outside the country. This is largely because Kenyan public universities are not as flexible with admission requirements as some foreign universities.

External links

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