Kenya’s education system is based on an 8-4-4 system – eight years in primary school, four years in secondary, and four in tertiary education. Despite the Kenyan Government’s declaration of a Free Primary Education (FPE) policy, over 1.7 million children still remain out of school, the majority of whom are street children living in slums or in marginalized pastoralist communities. Informal or alternative basic education is viewed as “second class” education, and it does not receive the recognition or acceptance it needs to be optimally effective.

Click here to view internship/volunteer opportunities in youth and education in Kenya

While Kenya did implement universal primary education, meaning that eight years of schooling are provided free, additional costs of uniforms and books prevent many from attending school. Families who are able to pay these costs, and the opportunity cost of not having their children work, often can’t afford the fees to pay for secondary school. Secondary schooling that properly equips children for the next level is extremely expensive and rarely accessible in underserved areas. At the root of the problem is a drastic decline in education funding and social services by the Kenyan government and international donors.

The easily visible result is that a large percentage of Kenyan youth only have a basic level of education, few usable skills, and minimal employment opportunities. The poor education system and subsequent idleness of these adolescents creates a dangerous combination that frequently leads to drug abuse, early pregnancy, crime and other severe behaviors. Similar to education, a decline in spending on social services has lead to minimal care being offered to children who’ve been orphaned, leaving them highly vulnerable to exploitation and disease.

In his latest book, Special Adviser to Secretary General of the UN, Jeffrey Sachs, emphasizes the need to reverse the trend of reducing education spending and, instead, invest in cultivating intellectual capital to reduce brain drain and support economic growth with an educated population. Such development was accomplished by several countries in Asia who, 30 years ago, were in similar stages of development as several African nations, including Kenya.

FSD partners with organizations that fill the educational gap, outfitting communities with affordable primary and secondary education, along with offering vocational skills training and social services for underserved youth. Extracurricular activities are also cultivated to mobilize children. FSD interns and volunteers have supported programs such as drama groups that use theatre to educate street kids about life skills; girl’s soccer teams that act as a catalyst for empowerment; and youth leaders being trained as peer educators and counselors. These sorts of activities and programs are ways in which FSD can contribute to the education, care, and empowerment of vulnerable youth throughout Kakamega and Mombasa.

+ Click here to return to the Kenya Development Overview Page.

+ To search through a directory of FSD's youth and education organizations, see the Organization Database.

+ To review recent projects implemented by volunteers and interns and funded by FSD, see
Recent Project Examples.