Kenya
-- Education
The
foundation
for modern
education
in Kenya
was laid
by missionaries
who introduced
reading
to spread
Christianity
and who
taught
practical
subjects
such as
carpentry
and gardening,
which
at least
at first
were mainly
useful
around
the missions.
These
early
educational
activities
began
around
the mid
1800s
along
the coast.
Expansion
inland
did not
occur
until
the country's
interior
was opened
up by
the construction
of the
Uganda
railroad
at the
end of
the century.
By 1910,
thirty-five
mission
schools
had been
founded.
In 1902,
a school
for European
children
was opened.
A similar
school
for children
of Asian
workers
opened
in 1910.
A British
government-sponsored
study
of education
in East
Africa,
known
as the
"Frazer
Report
of 1909"
proposed
that separate
educational
systems
should
be maintained
for Europeans,
Asians,
and Africans.
A system
for native
Swahili
speakers
and Arabs
was later
added,
and education
followed
a four-system
pattern
until
independence.
At
independence,
the new
national
government
faced
a dilemma
in education.
The pressing
need to
train
Africans
for middle-level
and upper-level
government
service
and for
the commercial
and industrial
sectors
of the
economy
called
for a
restructuring
of secondary
and higher
education.
Many Kenyans
believe
that the
goal of
formal
education
is to
prepare
the student
for work
in the
modern
sectors
of the
economy.
Thus,
government
plans
to redirect
education
toward
the needs
of a still
predominantly
rural
economy
and of
an African
society
have not
always
been well
received.
Despite
these
goals,
the educational
system
remains
generally
urban
oriented,
and largely
European
in its
assumptions
and methods.[1]
Schooling
in today's
Kenya
consists
of eight
years
of primary
school,
four years
of secondary
school,
and four
years
of college.
Primary
grades,
commonly
called
"standards",
give instruction
in language,
mathematics,
history,
geography,
science,
arts and
crafts
and religions.
Secondary
grades,
called
"forms",
emphasize
academic
subjects,
especially
science
and vocational
subjects
at the
upper
secondary
level.
The academic
year runs
from January
through
December.
The language
of instruction
is English
throughout
the school
system,
though
in some
areas
instruction
is provided
in indigenous
languages
in the
first
three
grades.
In addition
to government
schools,
there
are a
number
of private
schools,
many of
which
serve
Asian
and European
communities.
Primary-school
teachers
are trained
in primary-teacher
colleges
which
now number
about
seventeen.
Secondary-school
teachers
are trained
at Kenyatta
College
Technical
Teachers
College.
Technical
and vocational
education
is provided
by eight
secondary
schools
and four
technical
high schools.
The technical
high schools
and five
secondary
vocational
schools
offer
four-year
programs.
More advanced
training
is available
at Kenya
Polytechnic
Institute
at Nairobi
and Mombasa
Polytechnic
Institute.
The Village
Polytechnic
Program,
launched
by the
National
Christian
Council
of Kenya,
offers
technical
training
to students
forced
to interrupt
their
rural
primary
school
studies.
Adult
education
and literacy
programs
are coordinated
by Kenya's
Board
of Adult
Education.
The Institute
of Adult
Studies
at the
University
of Nairobi
offers
courses
and there
are adult
education
centers
in all
major
towns.
All public
schools
except
municipal
primary
schools
come under
the direct
control
of the
Ministry
of Education.
Private
schools
are supervised
by district
education
boards.
Curriculum
development
is the
responsibility
of the
Kenya
Institute
of Education.
[2]
The
education
system
has undergone
a remarkable
expansion
since
independence.
Government
expenditure
on education
stabilized
at over
15% in
the early
1990s.
By African
standards
this is
high,
although
the government
is responding
to pressure
from international
donors
to require
students
to share
in the
costs
of education.
In 1996
the number
of primary
school
teachers
increased
by 1%
to 184,393,
while
that of
secondary
school
teachers
fell by
0.5% to
41,280.
Student
enrollment
rose 1.1%
and 4.1%
respectively
in 1996.
World
Bank data
for 1993
show that
92% of
males
and 91%
of females
in the
primary
age group
were enrolled
in schools,
which
compared
favorably
with averages
for all
nations
struggling
with low-income
economies
except
India
and China.
Higher
education
in Kenya
can be
pursued
in 29
training
colleges,
one institute
of special
education,
three
polytechnics,
five public
and 12
private
universities.
The Ministry
of Education
has proposed
raising
fees to
KSh50,000
($875)
per student
per year
(of which
a maximum
of Ksh42,000
can be
supplied
by a new
loans
board),
arguing
that such
expenditures
are not
unreasonable
since
some parents
pay up
to KSh30,00
per year
towards
a child's
secondary
education.
Implementing
such fees
is a condition
of the
World
Bank's
education
sector
adjustment
program.[3]
[1]
Kaplan,
Irving.
1976.
Area Handbook
for Kenya,
Second
Ed., U.S.
Government
Printing
Office:
Washington,
D.C. pp.
147-48.
[2]
Kurian,
George
Thomas
1992.
Encyclopedia
of the
Third
World,
fourth
edition,
volume
III, Facts
on File:
New York,
N.Y. pp.
984-985.
[3]
The Economist
Intelligence
Unit.
1998.
Country
Profile.
Kenya,
The Unit:
London,
pp. 19