5.1 The Government has endeavoured to promote access, equity and transition in education and
training through the introduction of Free Primary Education (2003) and Free Day Secondary in (2008). The MOE together with other stakeholders has implemented various programmes with varying degrees of success to support the Most Vulnerable Children (MVC), girls, and women in the Arid and Semi-Arid lands, urban slums.
5.2 Despite the gains in access and equity since the launch of FPE and FDSE there are still
remain pockets within Kenyan communities which have remained unreached for a host of reasons; economic, cultural, social, geographical, environmental, and political. These groups are diversified and have different educational needs. As a result, different strategies are required to address issues affecting them.
5.3 In general, marginalized, hard-to-reach and vulnerable groups are characterized by not
having a clear institutional framework to oversee the development and implementation of policies and strategies developed by the State, They live in both high and low population concentrations, while in addition pastoralists, for example, have religious obligations which require children to attend Madrassa/Duqsi schools in addition to whatever formal education arrangements are provided by the state. The schools complement formal schools especially in terms of social and cultural learning and the teaching of children to read. High levels of poverty and lack of monetary resources generally exist. In addition, challenges of learning institutions being far apart or overcrowded, insecurity, inadequate teaching and learning resources, poor infrastructure persist. In nomadic areas, few teachers have a nomadic background while stigmatization can occur on grounds of special needs, cultural and other practices such as FGM and early marriages. Boarding schools are perceived to be culturally unresponsive to nomadic pastoralist children creating the fear of alienation of children from their communities‟ way of life.
5.4 The informal settlements are not served by formal schools because they are not planned.
Children from the informal settlements are unable to access the formal schools outside the settlements because of long distances and insecurity. Therefore, informal schools have been established within the settlements for the school going age children. The constitution provides for free and compulsory basic education for all children and hence all children should access high quality education. The challenge is therefore establishment of formal schools for children from the informal settlements.
5.5 In order to address the challenges, the government will adopt the following policy:
Make provision for equitable, quality education to Marginalized, hard-to-reach and vulnerable Groups
5.6 To achieve the above policy, the government will adopt the following strategies:
(i) Operationalize the Policy Framework for Nomadic Education in Kenya to
address the challenges of the provision of education and fast track the establishment of the National Council for Nomadic Education.
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(ii) Integrate Madrassa/Duksi into the formal education system to improve access
and retention in predominantly Muslim areas.
(iii) Give incentives such as conditional cash transfers to encourage enrolment and
retention in marginalised, hard to reach areas and vulnerable groups.
(iv) Expand and finance feeder, mobile and low cost boarding primary schools.
(v) Equip the resource learning centres.
(vi) Establish Pre-Primary in ASAL, hard to reach and vulnerable areas, allocate
capitation and development grants in line with basic education sub-sector funding.
(vii) Develop a coherent education strategy and implementation plan to address
the needs of marginalised, hard-to-reach and vulnerable Groups.
(viii) Adopt a holistic approach to pastoralist education.
(viii) Provide flexible mode of curriculum delivery.
(ix) Establish rescue centres to cater for vulnerable learners.
(x) Sensitize communities on the importance of education.
(xi) Where appropriate, boost wireless transmission to increase radio coverage and
reception and develop relevant radio content for marginalised children.
(xii) Adopt a holistic approach to ensuring the provision of proper water and
sanitation in schools, immunization and regular de-worming of all school going children at school level, supplementary feeding and registration of births at school level.
(xiii) Enhance provision of capitation/development grants to all Non-Formal
Education Centres/Schools and Adult learning Centres to ensure availability of funds for tuition and relevant instructional materials.
(xiv) Work with other providers of not-for-profit Non-Formal Education
Centres/Schools that meet set guidelines to be able to address issues of accommodation, infrastructure, staffing, HIV/AIDS, water, sanitation, health and nutrition.
(xv) Promote Open Distance Learning [ODL] using local radio stations and mobile
telephony to enhance access.
(xvi) Increase number of Mobile Schools linked to mother schools and other social services.
(xvii) Review and operationalize the Alternative Provision of Basic Education and Training Policy.
(xviii) Obtain data on the number of un-enrolled children in urban informal settlements.
(xix) Prioritize the introduction of capitation/development grants to all Non- Formal Education Centres/Schools to ensure availability of funds for tuition and relevant instructional materials.
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(xx) Work with other providers of Non-Formal education to be able to address
issues of accommodation, infrastructure, staffing, HIV and AIDS, water, sanitation, health and nutrition.
(xxi) Harmonize all players (private and public) in the APBE subsector with a view to formalizing their existence.
(xxii) Make it easier for schools to register with the MOE by reviewing requirements for the APBE schools, such as land ownership.
(xxiii) Develop learning resource materials to support APBE schools.
(xxiv) Expand physical facilities in nearby public schools and introduce a double shift system to accommodate more students.
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