Education stakeholders have raised concerns over deepening gaps in foundational learning in Kenyan schools, warning that millions of pupils are advancing through primary education without mastering basic literacy and numeracy skills.
A national assessment by Usawa Agenda reveals that only 42.1 per cent of Grade 3 girls and 40.1 per cent of boys can read and comprehend a Grade 3-level English story.
Speaking at the report launch, Usawa Agenda Executive Director Emanuel Manyasa said learning outcomes remain worryingly low, particularly in numeracy. Grade 3 boys in public schools (20.8 per cent) and refugee community schools (9 per cent) slightly outperform girls (20.7 per cent and 4.6 per cent respectively) in solving age-appropriate numeracy problems.
“By Grade 4, only 49.6 per cent of learners can read and comprehend a Grade 3 English story, with girls slightly ahead at 51.5 per cent versus 47.8 per cent for boys, while numeracy remains a major challenge, with just 33.8 per cent of learners able to solve Grade 3-level problems,” Manyasa said.
Only 29.8 per cent of Grade 4 learners can meet expected standards in both literacy and numeracy. While girls generally outperform boys, the trend reverses in refugee community schools, where boys record stronger numeracy outcomes.
Learning gaps widen further by Grade 6. According to the assessment, 34.9 per cent of learners cannot read and comprehend a Grade 3 English story, 42.5 per cent cannot solve a Grade 3 numeracy problem, and nearly half (49.9 per cent) cannot perform both tasks.
“These gaps are particularly pronounced in refugee community schools, where boys outperform girls in numeracy, while literacy gaps remain wide across both genders,” Manyasa said. The findings raise serious concerns about learners’ readiness for junior secondary school, where the curriculum demands higher-order thinking, problem-solving and independent learning.
“Learners who enter junior school without mastering basic literacy and numeracy are likely to struggle academically, increasing the risk of early dropouts and widening educational inequities,” Manyasa warned.
He attributed the poor outcomes to systemic challenges, particularly overcrowded classrooms and inadequate teacher support. Nationally, the average learner-to-teacher ratio in primary schools stands at 41:1, rising to 42:1 in public schools.
Urban public schools face the heaviest burden, with an average of 44 learners per teacher, while rural private schools record the lowest ratio at 31:1. When only permanently employed Teachers Service Commission (TSC) teachers are considered, rural public schools have one teacher for every 45 learners, compared to one for every 68 learners in urban public schools.
“These high learner-to-teacher ratios make it almost impossible for teachers to provide individualised support,” Manyasa said. “Public and refugee community schools cannot offer the remedial support seen in private schools, and the consequences are clear in learning outcomes.”
The assessment also highlights textbook shortages, particularly in numeracy. In most public schools, more than three learners share one mathematics textbook, compared to an average of two per English textbook.
“This strains numeracy learning and may hinder students’ transition to STEM under the new CBE curriculum,” Manyasa said.
Education stakeholders are now calling for urgent interventions, including the hiring of more permanent teachers, improved classroom conditions, and targeted remedial programmes, especially in public and refugee community schools.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed in foundational learning,” Manyasa said. “Without action, these gaps will persist and widen, undermining Kenya’s broader education goals.”
