Report: Boys' secondary enrollment falls to 45 per cent

Elimu Yetu Coalition coordinator, Joseph Wasikhongo. [Jenipher Wachie, Standard] Boys' enrollment in Kenyan secondary schools has dropped to 45 per cent, reversing decades of gender parity gains and prompting urgent calls for policy action, a report by the Elimu Yetu Coalition shows. The coalition's coordinator, Joseph Wasikhongo, speaking on Wednesday, December 17, noted the decline comes as girls' enrollment climbs, creating a gender parity ratio of 1.16 in favour of girls. "The boy-child crisis at secondary school enrollment is dropping at a very high rate, currently at 45 per cent, with high parity levels in favour of girls at 1.16," said Wasikhongo during the coalition's State of Basic Education Address in Nairobi. The coalition, representing more than 140 member organisations, based its findings on observations from county education networks, thematic groups, and national partners throughout 2025. Girls now achieve transition rates exceeding 90 per cent at the upper primary level, creating a widening gender gap that has caught education planners off guard. Kenya continues implementing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) as the country prepares for Grade 10, with over 100,000 teachers retooled, learning materials developed up to Grade 11, and 14,641 classrooms constructed for junior secondary. However, subject mismatches and uneven parental awareness threaten learning quality during the Grade 9 to Grade 10 transition. The coalition urged accelerated completion of Grade 9 classrooms, fast-tracked teacher deployment, and nationwide awareness programmes led by the Ministry, Boards of Management, civil society, and communities. A national teacher shortage of 111,870 persists despite the recruitment of 46,000 junior secondary school teachers in January 2025 and a planned 20,000 more in January 2026. Critical gaps remain in ASAL regions, hard-to-staff schools, and STEM subjects. "Recruitment must remain under the Teachers Service Commission, free from political interference, while teacher welfare should be prioritised through mental health support, including enhanced support through Teacher Wellness Centres," explained Wasikhongo. Special Needs Education remains critically underserved, with enrollment below two per cent. The coalition called for aligning Special Needs Education policy with CBC, improving NEMIS data use, ensuring timely financing, and prioritising inclusive infrastructure. Capitation delays and ghost school issues continue to undermine service delivery. "Competent authorities must investigate and hold culprits to account," noted Wasikhongo. Refugee education remains a concern. While the SHIRIKA Plan supports refugee integration, teachers lack formal recognition. "We urge the government to officially recognise and support refugee teachers, in fulfilment of its international obligations under the Global Compact on Refugees, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Djibouti Declaration," noted Wasikhongo. Digital learning has expanded, but many rural, ASAL, and refugee-hosting schools lack electricity, devices, and internet connectivity. School feeding programmes remain a lifeline in ASAL regions and informal settlements, while ECDE has expanded through teacher recruitment and infrastructure development. Harmonised teacher schemes, standardised child-friendly facilities, and stronger coordination between counties, the Ministry, and TSC are needed to ensure quality and smooth transitions into primary education. Climate-related shocks continue to disrupt learning, requiring investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, disaster preparedness, early warning systems, and water harvesting. Schools should serve as community hubs for resilience and recovery. The Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KISEA) provides evidence on learner competencies, transition readiness, and systemic inequities. Results should guide fair allocation of learners to senior schools and inform policy decisions. "As we reflect on 2025, we celebrate progress while recognising persistent gaps. Strengthening system efficiency, ensuring adequate and supported teachers, promoting inclusive and gender-responsive approaches, and using assessment evidence such as KISEA to guide policy and practice must remain priorities," noted Wasikhongo. Boys' enrollment in Kenyan secondary schools has dropped to 45 per cent, reversing decades of gender parity gains and prompting urgent calls for policy action, a report by the Elimu Yetu Coalition shows. The coalition's coordinator, Joseph Wasikhongo, speaking on Wednesday, December 17, noted the decline comes as girls' enrollment climbs, creating a gender parity ratio of 1.16 in favour of girls. "The boy-child crisis at secondary school enrollment is dropping at a very high rate, currently at 45 per cent, with high parity levels in favour of girls at 1.16," said Wasikhongo during the coalition's State of Basic Education Address in Nairobi. The coalition, representing more than 140 member organisations, based its findings on observations from county education networks, thematic groups, and national partners throughout 2025. Girls now achieve transition rates exceeding 90 per cent at the upper primary level, creating a widening gender gap that has caught education planners off guard. Kenya continues implementing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) as the country prepares for Grade 10, with over 100,000 teachers retooled, learning materials developed up to Grade 11, and 14,641 classrooms constructed for junior secondary. However, subject mismatches and uneven parental awareness threaten learning quality during the Grade 9 to Grade 10 transition. The coalition urged accelerated completion of Grade 9 classrooms, fast-tracked teacher deployment, and nationwide awareness programmes led by the Ministry of Education (MoE), Boards of Management, civil society, and communities. A national teacher shortage of 111,870 persists despite the recruitment of 46,000 junior secondary school teachers in January 2025 and a planned 20,000 more in January 2026. Critical gaps remain in arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) regions, hard-to-staff schools, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. "Recruitment must remain under the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), free from political interference, while teacher welfare should be prioritised through mental health support, including enhanced support through Teacher Wellness Centres," explained Wasikhongo. Special Needs Education (SNE) remains critically underserved, with enrollment below two per cent. The coalition called for aligning SNE policy with CBC, improving the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) data use, ensuring timely financing, and prioritising inclusive infrastructure. Capitation delays and ghost school issues continue to undermine service delivery. "Competent authorities must investigate and hold culprits to account," noted Wasikhongo. Refugee education remains a concern. While the SHIRIKA Plan (a multi-year initiative promoting socioeconomic inclusion of refugees) supports integration, teachers lack formal recognition. "We urge the government to officially recognise and support refugee teachers, in fulfilment of its international obligations under the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Djibouti Declaration," said Wasikhongo. Digital learning has expanded, but many rural, ASAL, and refugee-hosting schools lack electricity, devices, and internet connectivity. School feeding programmes remain a lifeline in ASAL regions and informal settlements, while Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) has expanded through teacher recruitment and infrastructure development. Harmonised teacher schemes, standardised child-friendly facilities, and stronger coordination between counties, the MoE, and TSC are needed to ensure quality and smooth transitions into primary education. Climate-related shocks continue to disrupt learning, requiring investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, disaster preparedness, early warning systems, and water harvesting. Schools should serve as community hubs for resilience and recovery. The Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KISEA) provides evidence on learner competencies, transition readiness, and systemic inequities. Results should guide fair allocation of learners to senior schools and inform policy decisions. "As we reflect on 2025, we celebrate progress while recognising persistent gaps. Strengthening system efficiency, ensuring adequate and supported teachers, promoting inclusive and gender-responsive approaches, and using assessment evidence such as KISEA to guide policy and practice must remain priorities," said Wasikhongo. The coalition acknowledged development partners' support through the Kenya Primary Education Equity in Learning Programme (KPEELP), the Secondary Education Quality Improvement Programme (SEQIP), and other initiatives while urging the MoE to maintain integrity, transparency, and accountability in programme implementation. Education stakeholders now face mounting pressure to address the boy-child enrollment crisis through targeted community-driven interventions, school meals, mentorship, financial inclusion, and strengthened monitoring of substance abuse, mental health, and child neglect.

Report: Boys' secondary enrollment falls to 45 per cent

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