Participation in Kenyan Education Sector - Essay Example

A Review of Access & Participation in Kenyan Education Sector Student’s Name Institution Educational Access in Kenya & Changes Witnessed As A Result of Strategies Pursued Due To UN’s MDG In Kenya, while free primary education initiative has vehemently resulted to improved access of primary education amongst the poorer households by at least 40%, still the ancillary level of costs attributed to the initiative like purchasing of school uniforms has continued to act as a barricade of educational accomplishment for many of the children. Consequently, the provision of quality primary education remains an enormous barrier till date (Institute of Policy Analysis and Research-Kenya, 2008). In fact, the inherent and consistent dominance of private schools in national examinations has proven that there exists a high level of disparity of quality between learning offered in both public and private institutions. Given the fact that the pupils from rich families continue to enjoy quality private-school based education, there is a need for the formulation of policies that will act to tackle the achievement gaps witnessed in public primary institutions, which is closely associated with students from poor families. Despite the increase in the level of primary school access, secondary school access degree remains at a relatively lower percentage (Glennerster, 2011). In 2009, the World Bank indicated that the school net enrollment rate was stable at 50% while the transition from primary to secondary remained equally low at about 55%. The major challenge attributed to this transition is related to relatively higher amounts of fees that present a fundamental financial barrier. In fact, by the end 0f 2005, Kenya Integrated Household budget indicated that at least 55% of households per capita expenditures was spent on secondary school fees (Glennerster, 2011). In Kenya, the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) were formally legislated in September 2000 by a 191 United Nation Member countries as a way of enhancing security and other aspects as socio-economic developments throughout the world. The MDGs emphasised on the existing government agencies to prioritise and thereby, avail universal primary education, which was later offered under the Free Primary Education initiative after more than 26 years. The current MDGs status report for Kenya indicates that there is a enormous improvement since the launched FPE, which has resulted to increased pupil enrolment in primary level from 6.06 million in 2002 to 7.4 million 2004 (Glennerster, 2011). Spatial Variations in Kenya Possible variations for the smooth transition of students from primary to secondary level education is mostly attributed to the higher amounts of school fees charged by the government agencies. Despite the efforts made to reduce the amount of secondary school fees, the level of fees still remain to be a fundamental financial obstacle amongst many poorer households in the country (Kremer, Edward, & Thornton, 2009). In essence, the 2005 Kenya Integrated Household budget postulates that at least 55 per cent of annual per capital expenditures of each household is spent on secondary school fees. Notably, despite the improvements in the access to bursaries for example CDF, which have provided most of the households with some form of government-based assistance, the immediate pressing burden of secondary school fees still, plays a significant role in limiting access (Glennerster, 2011). It is important to note that these financial barriers are especially crucial for females and vulnerable groups like orphans and the pupils emanating from poor family backgrounds. Subsequently, spatial variations can also be witnessed between public and private schools in Kenya by the immediate level of quality offered in these institutions. Quality education offered in private schools has resulted to poor composition of students in Kenya national secondary schools. Conversely, while MOE had engaged in the formulation of a policy that aimed at regulating the number of students from public and private schools that joined these national secondary schools still, it failed to address the root causes of private-public performance gaps. Furthermore, it is possible that the unplanned consequences of the MOE policy like improved social stratification in the secondary school systems, whereby their performance of private primary school students that attended secondary schools would in fact negatively affect the public secondary school system in the future (Glennerster, 2011). Factors Impacting On Educational Access and Participation in Kenya There are several reasons given for the current limitation of both primary and secondary education access in Kenya. The factors are discussed as follows; First, the primary education sector is exposed to ancillary and out-of-pocket costs. Even with the recent introduction of the Free Primary Education, the imminent costs associated with the purchasing of uniforms continue to barricade efforts of access education. The cost of uniforms stands at 2 per cent of overall per capital GDP, which is still high for many Kenyan families (Glennerster, 2011). Despite the fact the MOE policy indicating that FPE does not direct for compulsory uniforms for children, the culture is fairly entrenched within the system that it still keeps children away from school. Second, the education sector especially the primary education level is marred with challenges attributed to physical access to school and other non-monetary costs. The level of distance to the nearest school still remains to be a major issue especially in such provinces as Northeastern that only had 250 public primary schools in 2007 in comparison to more than 4000 public primary schools in Eastern section (Glennerster, 2011). Due to few numbers of schools, pupils in undeveloped sections still have to take enormous amounts of time to cover distance to school hence a viable need for reducing the existing distance in order to boost educational access. Consequently, the sector experiences challenged attributed to poor nutrition and poor level of health, which can effectively affect the level of attendance amongst pupils. For instance, pupils that suffers from poor nutrition and malaria as well as intestinal worms may remain absent from school for longer periods. Statistically, the Kenyan Demographic and Health Survey indicates that more than 20% of all Kenyan children suffer from certain health complications thus affecting their school attendance capabilities (Glennerster, 2011). Fourth, the secondary school education level faces a great myriad of school fees and other monetary costs. In essence, there is significant evidence indicating that education consumers are price-sensitive at all times while fees remain to be a major challenge for most Kenyan households (Glennerster, 2011). Particularly of interest, boarding secondary fees in addition such other out-of-pockets costs like money needed for purchasing uniforms and mattresses and beddings can barricade many households from allowing their children to access secondary learning institutions. Additionally, the Kenyan secondary education sector faces a disproportionate access in national schools by private primary school graduates. It is important to note that while about 10-15 per cent of KCPE candidates emanate from private schools, 50% of these schools constitutes a large amount of KCSE candidates in secondary national schools (Glennerster, 2011). In a stringent effort to reform the sector in a bid to allow equitable access to national schools, the MOE devised and implemented a quota system that regulated this number of students accessing quality secondary education. Substantively, challenges to overall Kenyan education access are marred with aspects related to vulnerable groups. Vulnerable groups constitute mostly of the female gender and nomadic communities while the gender gap is still not closing any time soonest (Glennerster, 2011). The recently witnessed post-election violence that resulted to major displacement of people resulted to loss of income, which impacted negatively on the level of transition from primary-to-secondary institution. Development-Related Issue Presenting Challenges to Improving Education Access Kenya falls under developing nations in the world economies. Just recently, it was labeled a middle-income economy prompting the existing government to rearrange and restructure their respective developmental goals. The Kenyan government regards education as being one of the most principal and motivating facet relating to national economic development and it is packaged in a way that allows citizens hope for better and higher living standards in the future. Following this line of reasoning, the country has engaged in intensive investment towards this sector for the past 20 or so years (Glennerster, 2011). A perfect example in the education sector can be perceived through the recently launched Free Primary Education (FPE) as well as the efforts made to subsidize secondary school fees. In consequence, both the primary and secondary educational levels remain to receive government-based funds that are however; limited in nature. Education sector still lacks enough funds due to the developmental need to establish and sustain a healthy working nation. A large portion of the country’s annual per capita GDP is directed towards meeting the basic challenges of ensuring health amongst citizens. There are not enough healthcare infrastructures in the country hence prompting the current government channeling slight high amount of tax revenues towards availing medical facilities across the country (Owino & Abagi, 2000). It is important to note that access and participation in education amongst Kenyan children is positively related to their respective health status. Thus, the government has taken the effort to sustain a workable and efficient health sector. In retrospective, the overall effectiveness of the global educational systems greatly relies on the ever-changing needs of the society like health (Owino & Abagi, 2000). In case there can be a linkage of substantial priorities relating to educational system reforms, education access could have a perfect opportunity for growth and success. However, in the event the major stakeholders, which in this case is the government, results to adding additional development-related issue like healthcare to the over-burdened system, then the chances of a successful education sector remain to be minimal (Owino & Abagi, 2000). The Kenyan educational sector’s financing capacity remains to be problematic since the parental and overall community contribution exercise is marred by the overall poor macroeconomic performance status. Subsequently, there exists inefficiencies and ineffectiveness in the utilisation of the current limited resources available (Owino & Abagi, 2000). These efforts directed towards attaining a quality educational platform is limited to the need for developing the overall quality of standards for health-related equipment as well as strengthening the ability of all public health facilities to conduct preventive sustenance mechanisms that are deemed important for rehabilitating health facilities (Owino & Abagi, 2000). Interventions of IGOS, NGOS and Governments, Aimed At Enhancing Educational Access The Kenyan education continues to receive support from different interest-groups including the different NGOs like the Dutch NGO; SNV Netherlands. The NGO has helped to improve and provide imminent physical infrastructure relating to schools and books. For instance, it is noted that since 2003, the enrolment patters increased from 73% to 149% as a result of the FPE government initiative (Bandi, 2011). With this increase, such stakeholders as the government, provate sector and different NGOs responded to the need for increasing the classroom structures in order to accommodate the newly enrolled pupils by way of building new schools in the numerous sections of the country. IGOs are made efforts to support the government on the existing alleviation need to accommodate the new 1.5 more pupils (Bandi, 2011). As a result of the increased students population resulted to a thwarted pupil to teacher that increased to a high of 120:1 in some parts of the country (Eshiwani, 1993). One of the most notable NGOs in Kenya that provided imminent support to educational sector is the SOS Children’s Villages, which upon establishment in Kenya in 1975, has continued to avail homes, care centers and equip them with intensive education and other relevant skills for poor children in such towns as Meru and Nairobi (Bandi, 2011). Most notably, ActionAid Kenya have committed to helping the government construct at least 17 boarding schools for girls within the Rift Valley region. The project, which operates under 5-yer grant from the UK’s Big Lottery Fund, is also considered to be unfolding in other African countries like Ghana (Bandi, 2011). Yet another NGO; SNV Netherlands is currently involved in eradication of poverty and improvement of local governances through provision of effective educational reforms. For instance, just recently, it committed most of its resources into successful implementation of the Free Primary Education Act of 2003 in Nairobi. SNV is also intensively involved in private partnerships by way of tackling possible discrepancies between Ministry of Education and private school stakeholders. References Bandi, G, J. (2011). Non-governmental organizations in Kenya’s education sector, University of Pittsburg, Retrieved on October 6, 2015 from http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/7540/1/BANDI.pdf Eshiwani, GS. (1993). Education in Kenya: since independence. Nairobi: East African Educational Publishers. Glennerster, R. (2011). Access and quality in the Kenyan education system: A Review of the progress, challenges and potential solutions, Office of the Prime Minister, Retrieved on October 6, 2015 from http://www.povertyactionlab.org/publication/access-and-quality-kenyan-education-system Institute of Policy Analysis and Research-Kenya. (2008). Radical reform for Kenya's education sector: implementing policies responsive to vision 2030. Nairobi: Institute of Policy analysis & Research. Kremer, M, Edward, M & Thornton, R (2009). Incentives to Learn. Review of Economics and Statistics 91 (3): 437-456 Owino, W & Abagi, O. (2000). Cost sharing in education and health in Kenya. Institute of Policy Analysis & Research, Retrieved on October 6, 2015 fromhttp://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.198.6888&rep=rep1&type=pdf Read More