Pressure for entry into city council schools at the onset of education: a demographic interpretation

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to £ind out the extent of pressure for entry into City Council Schools at the onset of education. The research examined the effects of high fertility, falling mortality and high in-migration on school age population. Analysis was made of primary and pre-primary enrolment, number of schools and streams, pupils' age and sex, teachers' qualifications, pupil-teacher ratio and cost o£ education. The study findings were that Nairobi has been experiencing fast population growth rates (7.2% per annum) caused by high fertility, falling mortality and high in-migration. This affects the demand for primary education and the capacity of the city education authorities to cope with it. Last part of the study puts forth recommendations that are pertinent to policy-making. The main recommendation is that, rapid increase in school age population should be regarded as a serious problem and programmes and policies be designed to curb the factors contributing to the acute pressure for entry into City Council schools.