THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

In Kenya, school attendance is compulsory from the age of 7 to 14 and is provided within public institutions free of charge. There also exists fee paying private schools, registered by the Ministry of Education, in which children may be enrolled. Any foreign child living in Kenya and possessing the appropriate legal documentation is entitled to study within the Kenyan system.

Kenyan education is based on an 8-4-4 system: eight years in primary school, four years in secondary and four in tertiary education. Some private/ International schools offer the London G.C.E (General Certificate Of Education) and G.C.S.E (General Certificate Of Secondary Education) curriculum and examinations which enable them to join either the local or international universities directly.

 

STRUCTURE OF SCHOOL SYSTEM:

Pre-Primary Education

Caters for children aged between one and six years.

 

Primary Education

This is the first formal stage of the education system in Kenya.

Type of school providing this education: Primary School

Length of program in years: 8

Age level from: 7 to 14

Certificate/diploma awarded: Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE)

Purpose: to prepare children to participate fully in the social, political and economic well being of the pupils.

 

 

 

 

  

 

Secondary Education

The total number of secondary schools at present is over 3,000.

This is the second formal stage of the education system in Kenya.

Type of school providing this education: Secondary School

Length of program in years: 4

Age level from: 14 to: 18

Certificate/diploma awarded: Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)

Purpose: meeting the needs of both the students that terminate their education after secondary school and those that proceed for higher education.

 

Private Secondary Schools – International (non 8.4.4 system)
Aga Khan Academy PO Box 44424 Nairobi Tel: 742266, 744054	Aga Khan  Kenya  Secondary School PO Box 90062 Mombasa Tel: 220360/224376	Arboretum  College Off State House Road PO Box 75418 Nairobi Tel: 724686, 565873 Fax: 213815	Braeburn High School Garden Estate Road PO Box 16944 Nairobi Tel: 861144, 861220
Braeside  School PO Box 45112 Lavington Tel: 566956, 566001 Fax: 572310	Brookhouse  Senior  School PO Box 24987 Nairobi Tel: 891236 Girls Day	CGHU  Girls  Secondary School PO Box 40204 Nairobi Tel: 745650 Girls Day	Coast Academy Kaunda Avenue, Mombasa  Island PO Box 82988 Mombasa Tel: 312371, 312001, 311704 Fax: 222062
French  School PO Box 47525 Nairobi Tel: 567822 Fax: 567957 Mixed Day	German  School PO Box 44038 Nairobi Tel: 520192 Fax: 520236 Mixed Day and Boarding	Greensteds  School Private Bag, Nakuru Nakuru Tel: 85224 Fax: 86477 Mixed Boarding	Gulab  Locab  Academy PO Box 5000 Eldoret Tel: 32526
Hillcrest  Secondary School PO Box 24819 Nairobi Tel: 882222, 882350 Fax: 882350 Mixed Day Boarding	Kisumu  Academy PO Box 1365 Kisumu Tel: 41970/22799 Mixed Day	Laiser  Hill  Academy PO Box 42725 Nairobi Tel: 891169 Mixed Boarding	Maxwell  Adventist  Academy Private Bag, Mbagathi Kiserian Tel: 87 Mixed Boarding
Muslim Girls Secondary School Park Road PO Box 41013 Nairobi Tel: 767061/3, 765508	Nairobi Academy Langata Road PO Box 24817 Nairobi Tel: 891281, 891156 Fax: 891155 Mixed Day	Norwegian  Community  School PO Box 24991 Nairobi Tel: 891177 Fax: 891936 Mixed Boarding	Oshwal Academy PO Box 83021 Mombasa Tel: 490209, 490708 Mixed Day
Oshwal  High School PO Box 49673 Nairobi Tel: 745544 Fax: 750862 Mixed Day	Parkview Academy Mombasa Road PO Box 58710 Nairobi Tel: 555392, 555394	Princeton  Academy PO Box 14030 Nairobi Tel: 743452 Fax: 751523	Rift  Valley  Academy Private Bag, Kijabe Karuri Tel: 64646
St Austin’s Academy Ndoto Road, Lavington PO Box 25138 Nairobi Tel: 48195, 49451 Fax: 49451 Mixed Day	Swedish  School PO Box 21324 Nairobi Tel: 566544 Fax: 565984 Mixed Boarding	Tigoni  International  School Old Limuru Road PO Box 999 Limuru Tel: 0154-40951, 40157 Fax: 40951

Higher Education

This is the final formal stage of the education system in Kenya.

 

University Level

There are 6 public universities and 16 private universities in the country offering a range of degree programmes. They are supervised and controlled by the Commission for Higher Education.

Upon attaining certain pass mark at the secondary level set by the Joint Admissions Board; the students receive admission to the public universities as government sponsored students but they can also be enrolled as fee paying students.

 

Public Universities

Ø      University of Nairobi

Ø      Kenyatta  University

Ø      Jomo  Kenyatta  University of Agriculture and Technology

Ø      Egerton  University

Ø      Moi  University

Ø      Maseno  University

Private Universities

Ø      University of Eastern Africa, Baraton

Ø      Catholic  University of East Africa

Ø      Daystar  University

Ø      Scott Theological College

Ø      United States  International  University

Ø      Africa  Nazarene  University 

Ø      The East  African  School Of Science and Technology

Ø      The Kenya  Highlands  Bible  College

Ø      The Nairobi  Evangelical  Graduate  School Of Theology

Ø      The Nairobi  International  School Of Theology

Ø      The Pan  Africa  Christian  College

Ø      St Paul’s United  Theological  College

Ø      Kenya  Methodist  University

Ø      Kabarak  University

Ø      Kiriri Women’s University of Science and Technology

Ø      Agha Khan  University 

Ø      Strathmore  University

Non-university level (technical/vocational type):

Apart from the universities, there are a number of post-secondary institutions offering training at diploma and certificate levels. Courses last between two and four years and cover subjects such as construction, engineering, business studies, textiles, agriculture etc.

Ø      There are 4 national polytechnics which offer certificate, diploma and higher diploma courses:

Ø      In the field of teacher training, these include 3 diploma colleges for the training of non-graduate secondary school teachers, and 19 teacher training colleges for primary school teachers.

Ø      There are 17 technical training institutes offering training at both craft and diploma level.

Ø      In addition to these, a number of government ministries also offer 3 years’ professional training at diploma level for their middle-level manpower requirements.