Here are the current and emerging issues in Kenyan education:

  1. Underfunding & Capitation Gaps

The proposed 2025–26 budget (Sh701.9 billion, or 28% of national budget) still falls short in key areas: Free junior and senior secondary education lacks dedicated capitation, and Free Primary Education (FPE) has seen budget cuts, especially impacting the school feeding program despite more beneficiaries

Delayed and incomplete disbursements: KSh14 billion released instead of an expected KSh28 billion for Term One 2025, contributing to a five-year capitation shortfall of KSh64 billion and exacerbating cash flow problems for schools.

  1. CBE Implementation

The Competency-Based Education  (CBE) framework has been clarified by the government but remains poorly communicated to stakeholders.

  1.  Digital Skills

While e-learning platforms, smart classroom tools, and digital literacy initiatives are expanding, access remains limited by poor infrastructure and teacher capacity.

  1. Gender and Equity

Gender and equity challenges persist, with adolescent girls experiencing high dropout rates linked to inadequate menstrual health education and limited access to sanitary products—factors that contribute to absenteeism and engagement in risky behaviors. While ongoing efforts continue to address these barriers for girls, there is a growing recognition of the need for a complementary intervention plan focused on the boy child, aimed at fostering positive masculinity, addressing psycho-social pressures, and reducing school disengagement and harmful behaviors among boys.

5. Refugee teachers in Kenya

While the Kenyan government has taken notable steps -such as the registration of refugee schools and inclusion of refugee education in national policy frameworks, refugee teachers still face significant challenges. Many remain uncertified, unaccredited by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), and excluded from formal professional development pathways. Despite their vital role in sustaining learning within refugee communities, their voices are often underrepresented in policy dialogues and sector planning. Strengthening government support must go hand-in-hand with deliberate efforts to amplify refugee teachers’ voices, recognize their qualifications, and integrate them into the national education system to ensure inclusive and equitable learning for all.