Why Kenyan parents prefer low cost schools to free education

Standard one and two Pupils of Nyang Primary School in Miwani Division, Muhoroni Constituency in Kisumu County, sharing a classroom as their teachers conduct lessons yesterday. ECD pupils are the most disadvantaged, as their classes are conducted under a tree thanks to the prolonged period of dry weather. 19/02/15. [PHOTO/TITUS MUNALA/STANDARD]

Government’s inability to match growing demand for education with human resource and infrastructure development is gradually eroding the impact triggered by the Free Education Programme (FPE) launched 13 years ago.

An increasing number of parents are now resorting to low-cost schools to meet rising expectations. New research findings show that at least 47 per cent of school going children in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru and Nyeri have left government (public) schools for informal schools in low-resource settlements despite the state backed free learning.