Primary education, pupils in Kenya
Kenya: Primary education, pupils was 49.7% in 2016. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils in Kenya, 1970–2016
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % female.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 49.7% for primary education, pupils in 2016.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Kenya peaked at 49.8% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 42.5%, in 1970.
That places Kenya 22nd out of 203 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % female | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 42.5% | — |
| 1971 | 43.3% | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 43.7% | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 44.3% | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 45.5% | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 46.4% | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 46.8% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 47.1% | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 47.2% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 47.6% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 47.9% | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 48.2% | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 48.4% | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 48.4% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 48.6% | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 48.7% | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 48.6% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 48.7% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 48.9% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 48.8% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 48.9% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 49.0% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 49.0% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 49.2% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 49.4% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 49.0% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 49.4% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 49.2% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 48.4% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 48.5% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 48.3% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 48.7% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 49.0% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 49.4% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 49.2% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 49.8% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 49.8% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 49.6% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 49.7% | +0.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 49.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 48.6%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 49.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 48.9%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 45.4% | 42.5% | 47.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 48.5% | 47.9% | 48.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.1% | 48.9% | 49.4% | 8 |
| 2000s | 48.9% | 48.3% | 49.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.7% | 49.6% | 49.8% | 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 primary education, pupils in Kenya?
- Primary education, pupils in Kenya was 49.7% in 2016, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 49.8% in 2012.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.5% in 1970.
- How does Kenya rank for primary education, pupils?
- Kenya ranks 22nd out of 203 countries with data for 2016.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, pupils (% female). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female pupils as a percentage of total pupils at primary level include enrollments in public and private schools.