Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled in Kenya
Kenya: Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled was 8.04 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled in Kenya, 1970–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
Kenya recorded 8.04 million for enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled in Kenya peaked at 8.28 million in 2017 and was at its lowest, 1.26 million, in 1970.
That places Kenya 18th out of 218 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.26 million | — |
| 1971 | 1.35 million | +7.0% |
| 1972 | 1.49 million | +10.4% |
| 1973 | 1.62 million | +8.6% |
| 1974 | 2.49 million | +53.7% |
| 1975 | 2.65 million | +6.5% |
| 1976 | 2.65 million | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 2.74 million | +3.3% |
| 1978 | 2.74 million | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 3.42 million | +24.9% |
| 1980 | 3.58 million | +4.6% |
| 1981 | 3.61 million | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 3.81 million | +5.5% |
| 1983 | 3.94 million | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 3.93 million | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 3.88 million | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 4.01 million | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 4.14 million | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 4.21 million | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 4.39 million | +4.2% |
| 1990 | 4.39 million | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 4.44 million | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 4.51 million | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 4.61 million | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 4.56 million | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 4.54 million | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 4.64 million | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 4.73 million | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 4.83 million | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 4.78 million | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 5.03 million | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 5.15 million | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 4.90 million | -4.8% |
| 2003 | 5.81 million | +18.5% |
| 2004 | 5.93 million | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 6.08 million | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 6.10 million | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 6.69 million | +9.6% |
| 2008 | 6.87 million | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 7.15 million | +4.1% |
| 2010 | 7.45 million | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 7.75 million | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 8.05 million | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 7.96 million | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 7.86 million | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 7.92 million | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 8.02 million | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 8.28 million | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 8.21 million | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 6.41 million | -21.9% |
| 2020 | 7.61 million | +18.7% |
| 2021 | 7.75 million | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 8.10 million | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 8.04 million | -0.7% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 8.04 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.66 million, 4.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 8.04 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.40 million, 3.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +53.7% | 1.62 million | 2.49 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.24 million | 1.26 million | 3.42 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.95 million | 3.58 million | 4.39 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.60 million | 4.39 million | 4.83 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.97 million | 4.90 million | 7.15 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.79 million | 6.41 million | 8.28 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.88 million | 7.61 million | 8.10 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More education data for Kenya
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 168,396 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 235,728 (2016)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.44 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.44 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.74 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 8.04 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.7181 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1453 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled in Kenya?
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled in Kenya was 8.04 million in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 8.28 million in 2017.
- What is the lowest enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.26 million in 1970.
- How does Kenya rank for enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled?
- Kenya ranks 18th out of 218 countries with data for 2023.
- Is enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number) with 607 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number) with 607 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.