Kenya
For thousands of girls in rural areas
going to school remains a distant dream.
Kenya has made significant progress in education over the past decade. The Kenyan Government introduced Free Primary Education in 2003, Free Day Secondary Education in 2008 and lowered Secondary Boarding Fees in 2018.
However, extra costs, especially at the secondary level are still more than many families can afford, and some students are more likely to be left out than others.World Bank study has established that, on the whole, One more year of secondary school beyond the mean boosts a person’s eventual wage rate on average by 15 percent to 25 percent, again with a generally higher increase for girls than for boys. Increasing the number of women with education boosts per capita income growth, as does moving toward parity in the number of years of education for girls and boys (2006).
Statistics speak for themselves
% of girls with no education get married before 18
% of girls with secondary education get married before 18
Research suggests that increasing educational attainment produces a number of positive outcomes. For example, while lower educational attainment is a risk factor for child marriage, higher educational attainment is protective against child marriage.
Furthermore, they found that each additional year of secondary school attendance also reduced the likelihood of giving birth before the age of 18, contributing to safer pregnancies and healthier newborns. Also one more year of secondary school beyond the mean boosts a person’s eventual wage rate on average by 15 percent to 25 percent, again with a generally higher increase for girls than for boys. Increasing the number of women with education boosts per capita income growth, as does moving toward parity in the number of years of education for girls and boys. (World Bank and ICRW)
Education System
School Entrance Age: Primary School- Age 6.
Duration and Official Ages for School Cycle: Primary; 8 years- Ages 6-13.
Secondary: 4 years Ages 14-17.
Academic Year; Start: January End: December.
Growth through Learning Activities
In 2011, Growth Through Learning began a partnership with Caroline Lentupuru in Rift Valley, Kenya. As a local community leader and frequent NGO consultant on issues relating to tribal minorities and women’s empowerment, Caroline was perfectly situated to help us establish connections to the girls and young women in this region. They are among the most vulnerable of Kenya’s population: poverty, cultural barriers, religious and tribal customs, prejudice and geographically remote homes all contribute to the low rates of school enrollment for these girls. Largely through Caroline’s efforts, we identified and supported 12 students from minority tribes during the 2012 school year and have adjusted our program to address the extra transportation costs and supports that these students need to be successful.
