Provision of quality basic education for all in Kenya: post 2015 agenda

Abstract

Education plays a critical role in t he development of any society. It is for this reason that the World Conference held in Jomtien Thailand in 1990 came up with E ducation for A ll (EFA) declaration. This followed the realization that quality basic education was important for the success of human endeavors. It is for this reason that the Dakar For um and the MDGs set EFA by 2015. It is thus an appropriate time for reflection on possibilities and options beyond 2015. A gainst this b ackground , Kenya introduced Free Primary E ducation (FPE) in 2003 and t his led to an increase in enrolment. However, increasing access to primary education doesn’t necessarily prove valuable unless it is seen as a promising path for individuals to realize better, more productive lives and as a driver of national economi c development. This paper argues that such access to primary education should go hand in hand with quality . Recent policy documents such as Sessional Paper Number 14 of 2012 and Basic Education Act 2013 spell out the government’s commitment to provision of quality basic education for all citizens. However, studies reveal that the quality of basic education in the country remains far below the expected standards. G etting children through primary schools will not be enough. While education is central to the c ountry’s agenda and noticeable achievements have been made in the context of EFA, significant challenges remain. There are vast disparities within the country as concerns access to schooling and the quality of education in resulting levels of learning achi evement . The post 2015 agenda in Kenya therefore should take into account that achieving EFA remains a key yet unfinished agenda for basic education in the country, requiring strengthened efforts in order to meet its goals. Therefore, future orientations f or education require a widening of the EFA agenda in