Welcome to the Virtual Education Wiki ~ Open Education Wiki
Kenya
Partners situated in Country
No partners are situated in this country, but one of our International Advisory Committee members is located in this country.
Kenya in a nutshell
The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the northeast, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Sudan to the northwest, with the Indian Ocean running along the southeast border. The country is named after Mount Kenya, a very significant landmark and the second among the highest mountain peaks of Africa.
Source: Wikipedia's page on Kenya
Country education policy
In 1963 the Kenyan government promised free primary education to its people. This promise did not take effect until 2003. Citizens are expected to contribute to the education fund by paying fees, taxes, and labour services. After contributing, most parents did not have the money to pay for their children’s education and were subsequently locked out of the school system.
Teachers strike often due to irregular payment of their wages. The teachers were responsible for collecting fees payments from student, with their wages being held until all fees were collected. Many children were forced to drop out of school simply because they could not afford it. Teachers would often send children home during the final exams in order to pressure parents into paying the fees.
Now that education is free, attendance has increased and there is a shortage of teachers and classrooms with children not getting sufficient attention from teachers due to the overcrowding of classrooms. This is a result of both children attending that could not afford to before, and children being taken out of lower-tier private schools in order to take advantage of free education. This has created demand for low cost private school where parents that could afford to pay the fees can send children to learn in a better environment.
Some believe that a solution for the overcrowding in schools is to create more vocational training programs in order to create alternative routes to employment.
Kenya introduced the current 8-4-4 system in 1985. This means that grades one through eight are in primary, grades nine through twelve are in secondary, and then graduates spend four years in university. The 8-4-4 system was created to help those students who do not plan to pursue higher education. It has helped reduce the drop out rates and help those that leave primary school find employment.
The growth of Kenya's education sector has exceeded expectations. After the first university was established in 1970, five others have been created. The demand for higher education has resulted in the formation of many private universities.
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Although Kenya has its own universities, some parents choose to send their children to different countries. Many believe that the United Kingdom has the best universities, and that it would be a great opportunity for their children to attend a university there. Kenyan universities are also more difficult to get accepted to due to extremely high demand for higher education and not nearly enough room in the universities.
The Kenyan government is slowly, but surely working to make education in Kenya better. The first twelve years of school are now free, although this has introduced the issue of overcrowding that now needs to be dealt with. The funding from the UK will help reconstruct some of the schools and hopefully make them a better learning environment.
Source: Wikipedia’s page about Kenyan education
Country education system
Wikipedia’s page about Kenyan education
Higher education
Kenya Higher Education Profile, by the Boston College Center for International Higher Education (CIHE)
Universities in Kenya
Colleges in Kenya
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Sources:
Higher education reform
Administration and finance
The facilities in some public universities are so small that when incoming freshman arrive most of the upper classmen have to be sent home for a while to make room. Universities, like primary schools, lack the funds that are needed. There are not nearly enough computers, and labs are small and unequipped. Some students will pay a little more to go to private universities because they do not want involved with the competition for admission. Also, private universities have better facilities and computer labs.
The UK Government is giving Kenya seven billion shillings (ninety-seven million US) to help support the free education system. The extra money will be used to improve the health programs in all schools. Also, it will be used in purchasing books and learning materials for all of the schools. The money will also go towards expanding secondary education and universities. Reconstruction will occur in classrooms and improvements in water and sanitation facilities.
Source: Wikipedia’s page about Kenyan education
Quality assurance
“The Commission wishes, through this Website, to present an overview of higher education in Kenya and to inform the public of the quality assurance mechanisms which have been put in place in the sector.”
“The Commission of Higher Education developed the “Establishment of Universities - (Standardization, Accreditation and Supervision Rules, 1989” (PDF), which provide for the establishment and accreditation of Universities. Accreditation in Kenya means public acceptance and confirmation evidenced by award of a Charter, which a university meets and continues to meet the standards of academic excellence set by the Commission. For any institutions to be accredited, the Commission must be satisfied that the institution concerned has adequate physical, human, library and financial resources, viable relevant academic programmes and sound structure of governance.”
The Guidelines can be downloaded online in PDF format:
- Guidelines for preparing a Proposal for the Establishment of a Private University
- Guidelines for Developing Rules & Regulations Governing the Conduct
- Guidelines for Preparing Curriculum of Academic Programmes
- Guidelines for Establishment of University Libraries and Facilities
- Guidelines for Preparing Charters and Statutes
Sources:
- The Commission of Higher Education (EN)
- Establishment of Universities (Standardization, Accreditation and Supervision) Rules, 1989 (PDF)
- Public Universities Inspection Board
There is also the Kenya National Examinations Council but at first glance it’s not clear if this is meant for HEIs.
Country's HEIs in the information society
Source: Partnership for Higher Education in Africa (PHEA) - Educational Technology Initiative: report on Kenya (PDF - 14 pages)
Towards the information society
Information society strategy
Virtual initiatives in HE
African Virtual University (AVU) is located in Kenya. More info to follow
References
- Government of Kenya – official web site
- Government’s web page on Education
- Ministry of Education
- Wikipedia's page on Kenya
- Wikipedia’s page about Kenyan education
- Kenya Higher Education Profile, by the Boston College Center for International Higher Education (CIHE)
- Wikipedia’s page on Kenyan Schools and Universities
- Wikipedia’s page about Kenyan education
- The Commission of Higher Education (EN)
- Guidelines for Commission of Higher Education Accredidation
- Establishment of Universities)(Standardization, Accreditation and Supervision) Rules, 1989 (PDF)
- Kenya National Examinations Council
- Public Universities Inspection Board
- Partnership for Higher Education in Africa (PHEA) - Educational Technology Initiative: report on Kenya (PDF - 14 pages)