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The current Kenya education system consists of Early Childhood Education, primary and secondary education. Early Childhood Education takes one year. At the end of the primary education, pupils sit for the Kenya Certificate of primary Education (KEEP) prepared by the Kenya National Examination Council. Performance in the KEEP determines who is admitted to secondary schools. At the end of secondary’ education, students sit for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. Primary school education in Kenya is a basic and is considered the root of all formal and informal learning in Kenya.
Free and compulsory primary education for Kenya children was one of the key pre-election promises that led the MARC government led by President Miami Kabuki, to ascend to power in December 2002. Since then, an estimated 1. 5 million children, who were previously out-of school, have turned up to attend classes (Paul Kenya, 2008). The free Primary Education policy was first implemented in January 2003. The FEE policy focuses on attaining Education For all and in particular, Universal primary Education.
Key concerns are access, retention, equity, quality and relevance and internal and external efficiencies within the education system (Ministry Of Education Science and Technology, AAA, app). Through the FEE policy, the MARC government scrutinized the current 8-4-4 systems, which had previously been coupled with retention and reduced enrolment before it came to power. The policy focus is on “quality education and training as a human right in accordance to Kenya law and international conventions” (Ministry Of Education Science and Technology, 2005 app). VISION Quality education for development. Ilium boar Aka Amendable) MISSION To provide, promote and co-ordinate lifelong education, training and research for Galena’s sustainable development. POLICY OBJECTIVES 1. To achieve education for all (FEE) by 2015 2. To achieve transition rate of 70% from primary to secondary from the current rate of 57% 3. To enhance access, equity and quality primary education 4. To achieve 50% improvement levels of literacy by 201 5 5. To attain universal primary education (PUP). This is in line with the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals 6. To reduce the number of primary school children drop outs.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE POLICY 1. Increase in number of children enrolled in primary schools. Primary education has witnessed phenomenal growth since the policy was established. The number of primary school pupils rose dramatically from 5. 9 million in 2002 to 7. 6 million in 2005 to 82. 78 in 2009, according to a World Bank report, published in 201 0 2. Significant reduction in the repetition rate. The number of students repeating and dropping out has reduced significantly() this may be attributed to the fact that parents no longer have to think about paying school fees. CHALLENGES FACED BY THE POLICY 1.
Delays in Funds Disbursement Delays in distributing funds to support free primary school education is one of the challenges facing the policy implementation. This has frustrated many teachers, put pressure and on parents financial burdens. Teachers thus lack motivation to teach the increasing number of pupils as a result of the introduction of the policy. 2. Teacher Shortages A UNESCO survey on the evaluation of the Free Primary policy (UNESCO, 2005) indicates that the teacher: pupil ratio, in a significant number of schools was 1 170 which was far beyond the recommended maximum rate Of 1:40.
Such a high ratio has got challenges. For example, teachers find it impossible to pay attention to all learners, especially the slow ones. Also teachers were not able to give adequate assignments to the pupils, as they could not cope with the marking and teaching workload (UNESCO, 2005). 3. Teacher-Learning Facilities There is a challenge in the limited teacher-learning facilities, which forces pupils to share. Sharing of facilities such as textbooks, exercise books, pens e. T. C has affected pupil’s accessibility to the books while at home and many have to do their homework early in the morning the next day when in school.
There is also the issue of inadequate physical facilities where most schools did not have adequate classroom to accommodate the large number of pupils enrolled under the FEE programmer. 4. Managerial Skills Most school managers (the head teachers) are not well equipped in managerial skills. This is to say that their managerial skills are poor and these results to poor results by the schools they head as well as mismanagement of available funds. 5. Mobility from Public to Private and within Public Schools This may not be a major challenge but it still is a challenge.
Teachers complain hat pupils’ frequent transfers from one school to another at any point of the term and in any class affect content delivery. This may be as a result of a preference for free and cheaper education, school availability and its proximity as well as the highest grade offered in a school. A lower fee is also a factor, and cheaper or free schools seemed to be an important motivation for school transfer. 6. Embezzlement of Funds and Corruption Embezzlement of funds is a core challenge. Some government officials are corrupt and hence there is mismanagement or misapplication of funds that are allocated to them, (UNESCO, 2005).