Kenya records massive school enrolment
Bedah Mengo | Saturday, 19 March 2011
Bedah Mengo
The introduction of free primary education and subsidized secondary education in Kenya has seen the demand for higher education triple. The two programs, which were started in 2003 and 2008 respectively, to increase access of education particularly to the poor, has led to an increase in graduates seeking higher education in the country. Kenya's Ministry of Education notes there has been massive improvement in secondary school enrollment over the years. In 2007 for instance, records from the education ministry show there were 1.02 million students in secondary schools across the country. The number increased tremendously to 1.7 million in 2010 in a span of three years. Out of the 1.7 million in secondary schools, about 360,000 students sat for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams in 2010, representing a significant increase from the previous year's 337,404. The transition rate from primary to secondary school level has also increased hence occasioning the high demand for higher education. In 2011, according to the ministry, 539,792 primary school candidates were enrolled into secondary schools. This translates to a transition rate of 72.5 per cent, an increase of 26.3 per cent from 2003. The transition rate is beyond the expected Millennium Development Goals target of 70 per cent for countries. Kenya is therefore ahead of many African states. Like the transition rates and the increase in enrollment, the performance of the candidates in the exams has also improved. While releasing the 2010 KCSE results weeks ago, Kenya's Education Minister, Prof. Sam Ongeri said candidates had performed better than the previous years. "The number of candidates who attained a minimum university entry qualification, C+ and above, increased to 97, 134," he said. The increase was from 2009's 81,048. On the other hand, 257, 207 candidates scored grade C and below. Sadly, while Kenya celebrates these achievements in its education sector, the improved performance and increase in numbers at primary and secondary levels have not corresponded with the development of higher education. Many of the candidates cannot access higher education because of limited tertiary institutions. Enrollment at secondary schools has considerably increased but opportunities for students to further their education at tertiary level have grown minimally. Kenya has only seven public universities, which admit a paltry 10,000 students annually into subsidized government degree programs. The institutions, which are scattered in various parts of the country, also offer parallel degree programs, beside regular programs. The programs were introduced about ten years ago in response to continuous demand for higher education in the country. However, students who undertake the programs pay as high as 2500 U.S. dollars a year. This is because the parallel degree programs have become income- generating ventures for varsities as government financial support dwindles. Because of high fees charged, they remain out of reach for many students. Most of the current universities in Kenya started out as constituent colleges but were upgraded in the 1980s and the 1990s as demand for higher education increased. Such a trend was repeated few years ago when the government upgraded various middle-level colleges into university constituent colleges. While the move has helped to expand university education, it has contributed to the demise of many middle-level colleges, which offered technical courses for many average students. Some of the students have now been locked out of the college since the universities cannot admit them. The institutions upgraded include teachers colleges, polytechnics, technology institutes and medical training colleges. Kenya's education stakeholders have criticized upgrading of institutions noting that the exercise alienates low and average performers. "The government it seems only cares for top performers who it wants them to join universities at the expense of other candidates who equally need to advance their education," The Secretary General of Kenya Parents Association,"Musau Ndunda said. - Xinhua
The introduction of free primary education and subsidized secondary education in Kenya has seen the demand for higher education triple. The two programs, which were started in 2003 and 2008 respectively, to increase access of education particularly to the poor, has led to an increase in graduates seeking higher education in the country. Kenya's Ministry of Education notes there has been massive improvement in secondary school enrollment over the years. In 2007 for instance, records from the education ministry show there were 1.02 million students in secondary schools across the country. The number increased tremendously to 1.7 million in 2010 in a span of three years. Out of the 1.7 million in secondary schools, about 360,000 students sat for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams in 2010, representing a significant increase from the previous year's 337,404. The transition rate from primary to secondary school level has also increased hence occasioning the high demand for higher education. In 2011, according to the ministry, 539,792 primary school candidates were enrolled into secondary schools. This translates to a transition rate of 72.5 per cent, an increase of 26.3 per cent from 2003. The transition rate is beyond the expected Millennium Development Goals target of 70 per cent for countries. Kenya is therefore ahead of many African states. Like the transition rates and the increase in enrollment, the performance of the candidates in the exams has also improved. While releasing the 2010 KCSE results weeks ago, Kenya's Education Minister, Prof. Sam Ongeri said candidates had performed better than the previous years. "The number of candidates who attained a minimum university entry qualification, C+ and above, increased to 97, 134," he said. The increase was from 2009's 81,048. On the other hand, 257, 207 candidates scored grade C and below. Sadly, while Kenya celebrates these achievements in its education sector, the improved performance and increase in numbers at primary and secondary levels have not corresponded with the development of higher education. Many of the candidates cannot access higher education because of limited tertiary institutions. Enrollment at secondary schools has considerably increased but opportunities for students to further their education at tertiary level have grown minimally. Kenya has only seven public universities, which admit a paltry 10,000 students annually into subsidized government degree programs. The institutions, which are scattered in various parts of the country, also offer parallel degree programs, beside regular programs. The programs were introduced about ten years ago in response to continuous demand for higher education in the country. However, students who undertake the programs pay as high as 2500 U.S. dollars a year. This is because the parallel degree programs have become income- generating ventures for varsities as government financial support dwindles. Because of high fees charged, they remain out of reach for many students. Most of the current universities in Kenya started out as constituent colleges but were upgraded in the 1980s and the 1990s as demand for higher education increased. Such a trend was repeated few years ago when the government upgraded various middle-level colleges into university constituent colleges. While the move has helped to expand university education, it has contributed to the demise of many middle-level colleges, which offered technical courses for many average students. Some of the students have now been locked out of the college since the universities cannot admit them. The institutions upgraded include teachers colleges, polytechnics, technology institutes and medical training colleges. Kenya's education stakeholders have criticized upgrading of institutions noting that the exercise alienates low and average performers. "The government it seems only cares for top performers who it wants them to join universities at the expense of other candidates who equally need to advance their education," The Secretary General of Kenya Parents Association,"Musau Ndunda said. - Xinhua