Girls and boys who are out of school in Kenya
Kenya: Girls and boys who are out of school was 17,499 girls in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Girls and boys who are out of school in Kenya, 1999–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in girls.
Analysis
The most recent figure for girls and boys who are out of school in Kenya is 17,499 girls, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is down 98.7% on the previous year and down 96.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, girls and boys who are out of school in Kenya peaked at 1.40 million girls in 2021 and was at its lowest, 17,499 girls, in 2023.
Kenya ranks 81st of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Girls and boys who are out of school in Kenya, year by year
| Year | girls | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 977,167 girls | — |
| 2000 | 914,802 girls | -6.4% |
| 2001 | 727,493 girls | -20.5% |
| 2002 | 892,295 girls | +22.7% |
| 2003 | 440,350 girls | -50.6% |
| 2004 | 476,036 girls | +8.1% |
| 2005 | 445,904 girls | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 470,827 girls | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 189,633 girls | -59.7% |
| 2008 | 314,725 girls | +66.0% |
| 2009 | 283,464 girls | -9.9% |
| 2012 | 570,833 girls | +101.4% |
| 2021 | 1.40 million girls | +144.8% |
| 2022 | 1.30 million girls | -6.7% |
| 2023 | 17,499 girls | -98.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 977,167 girls | 977,167 girls | 977,167 girls | 1 |
| 2000s | 515,553 girls | 189,633 girls | 914,802 girls | 10 |
| 2010s | 570,833 girls | 570,833 girls | 570,833 girls | 1 |
| 2020s | 906,203 girls | 17,499 girls | 1.40 million girls | 3 |
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 girls and boys who are out of school in Kenya?
- Girls and boys who are out of school in Kenya was 17,499 girls in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 1.40 million girls in 2021.
- What is the lowest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 17,499 girls in 2023.
- How does Kenya rank for girls and boys who are out of school?
- Kenya ranks 81st out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is girls and boys who are out of school rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 96.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Girls and boys who are out of school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Girls in the official primary school age range who are not enrolled in either primary or secondary education.