
Education
Education is recognised as a key determinant in human development through more opportunities and enhanced earnings. Unequal opportunities in access to education have long-term consequences that include intergenerational persistence of poverty. The level of education of the household head is a key determinant of future earnings, child health, and other social economic outcomes (Bourguignon et al. 2007, Kovacevic, 2010). Higher educational attainment across all segments of the population should enhance participation in the labour market, increase economic growth and ensure more equitable distribution of incomes in the long term.
Education policies that enhance access for disadvantaged areas can be used to change inequality patterns in the country. Lower transition to secondary education has implications for skill acquisition and opportunities for higher education associated with high income. Nationally, the proportion of the population with secondary school education and above is 22.8 percent while the majority (52.0 percent) have primary education. There is an existing pattern of inequality in education between rural and urban areas, and by gender of household head. This is partly attributable to migration dynamics showing a correlation between educational attainment and rural-urban migration. Despite high expansion in the education sector both in budgetary allocation and training personnel, 25 percent of the population have no education. The distribution of population with no education is higher in some counties and constituencies than others, as shown in consecutive tables in this report reflecting an imbalance in access to education services.
Overall, 26.8 percent of the population in female headed households have no education compared with 23.5 percent in male headed households (Table 4.1). Individuals in female headed households in urban areas are 2.5 times more likely to have secondary education than those in rural areas. The size and proportion of the population with no education is higher in female headed households in both urban and rural areas. Conversely, the proportion of the population with secondary education and above is highest in male headed households in urban areas (40.4 percent).
Table 4.1: Proportion of population by education level, by location and gender of household head
|
None |
Primary |
Secondary+ |
Total Population |
National |
||||
Kenya |
25.2 |
52.0 |
22.8 |
34,024,396 |
Rural |
29.5 |
54.7 |
15.9 |
23,314,262 |
Urban |
15.8 |
46.2 |
38.0 |
10,710,134 |
Male headed |
||||
Kenya |
23.5 |
51.8 |
24.7 |
16,819,031 |
Rural |
27.7 |
54.9 |
17.4 |
11,472,394 |
Urban |
14.4 |
45.2 |
40.4 |
5,346,637 |
Female headed |
||||
Kenya |
26.8 |
52.2 |
21.0 |
17,205,365 |
Rural |
31.2 |
54.4 |
14.4 |
11,841,868 |
Urban |
17.2 |
47.2 |
35.6 |
5,363,497 |
There are spatial differentials in educational attainment. People with secondary education and above are concentrated in the Central and Western regions of the country (Figure 4.1). This differentiation in access can be attributed not only to a higher population density in these areas but also to a historical lack of investment in provision of infrastructure that ensures equitable access to education opportunities for all regions.
Figure 4.1: Proportion of population by education level by county