Stakeholders Raise Alarm Over Growing Privatization of Education in Kenya


Nairobi, Kenya – Education stakeholders have raised concern over the increasing privatization of education in Kenya, warning that it threatens to widen inequality and undermine access to quality learning for children from low-income backgrounds.

Speaking during a national education stakeholders’ forum in Nairobi, representatives from civil society organizations, teachers’ unions, and human rights groups said the growing dominance of private schools and for-profit learning models is eroding the principle of education as a public good.

The event, organized by ActionAid Kenya in partnership with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), the Ministry of Education, and other partners, brought together education experts, learners with disabilities, and community advocates to discuss the impact of privatization on inclusive and equitable education.

“Education is not a commodity to be sold to the highest bidder — it is a right. The increasing commercialization of learning is leaving behind millions of children, especially those from poor and rural communities,” one of the speakers said, calling for stronger public investment in free and quality basic education.

Stakeholders noted that the rapid expansion of private schools, often driven by profit motives, has led to disparities in access and learning outcomes. Many public schools continue to face challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortages, and insufficient funding, forcing parents to seek alternatives they can barely afford.

The forum also highlighted the struggles faced by children with disabilities, emphasizing the need for the government to strengthen inclusive education policies rather than leaving their needs to private institutions.

Representatives urged the Ministry of Education to prioritize funding to public schools, improve teacher welfare, and regulate the operations of private institutions to ensure they meet national education standards.

“Public education must remain the backbone of our national development. Privatization should not become an excuse for the government to neglect its responsibility to provide free and quality education for every child,” the statement concluded.

The stakeholders called for the implementation of progressive education financing policies and increased budgetary allocations to ensure that no child is denied the opportunity to learn due to economic constraints.

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