Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Kenya
Kenya: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 94.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
94.3%
Change on year
up 40.5%
World rank
127th
of 209 countries
All-time high
95.0%
in 2007
All-time low
0.0%
in 1820
Years of data
48
1820–2023
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Kenya, 1820–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children in primary school age who are in school in Kenya is 94.3%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 40.5% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Kenya peaked at 95.0% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
That places Kenya 127th out of 209 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | +100.0% |
| 1830 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.0% | +50.0% |
| 1840 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1845 | 0.1% | +50.0% |
| 1850 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1855 | 0.1% | +37.5% |
| 1860 | 0.1% | +27.3% |
| 1865 | 0.2% | +42.9% |
| 1870 | 0.3% | +35.0% |
| 1875 | 0.4% | +33.3% |
| 1880 | 0.5% | +36.1% |
| 1885 | 0.7% | +36.7% |
| 1890 | 0.9% | +35.8% |
| 1895 | 1.2% | +36.3% |
| 1900 | 1.7% | +35.5% |
| 1905 | 2.3% | +35.1% |
| 1910 | 3.1% | +35.2% |
| 1915 | 4.1% | +34.5% |
| 1920 | 5.5% | +34.1% |
| 1925 | 7.4% | +33.6% |
| 1930 | 9.8% | +32.7% |
| 1935 | 11.3% | +15.0% |
| 1940 | 13.3% | +17.6% |
| 1945 | 23.8% | +79.5% |
| 1950 | 34.7% | +45.6% |
| 1955 | 36.8% | +6.0% |
| 1960 | 41.6% | +13.0% |
| 1965 | 47.8% | +14.9% |
| 1970 | 51.3% | +7.4% |
| 1975 | 84.0% | +63.8% |
| 1980 | 86.0% | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 62.8% | -27.0% |
| 2000 | 65.0% | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 72.8% | +12.0% |
| 2002 | 70.6% | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 85.0% | +20.4% |
| 2004 | 84.1% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 85.3% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 84.8% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 95.0% | +12.0% |
| 2008 | 90.6% | -4.6% |
| 2009 | 92.4% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 82.7% | -10.4% |
| 2021 | 63.7% | -23.0% |
| 2022 | 67.1% | +5.3% |
| 2023 | 94.3% | +40.5% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 94.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 93.7%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 94.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 84.5%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 2 |
| 1890s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 2 |
| 1900s | 2.0% | 1.7% | 2.3% | 2 |
| 1910s | 3.6% | 3.1% | 4.1% | 2 |
| 1920s | 6.5% | 5.5% | 7.4% | 2 |
| 1930s | 10.6% | 9.8% | 11.3% | 2 |
| 1940s | 18.6% | 13.3% | 23.8% | 2 |
| 1950s | 35.7% | 34.7% | 36.8% | 2 |
| 1960s | 44.7% | 41.6% | 47.8% | 2 |
| 1970s | 67.6% | 51.3% | 84.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 86.0% | 86.0% | 86.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 62.8% | 62.8% | 62.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 82.6% | 65.0% | 95.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 82.7% | 82.7% | 82.7% | 1 |
| 2020s | 75.0% | 63.7% | 94.3% | 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 share of children in primary school age who are in school in Kenya?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Kenya was 94.3% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 95.0% in 2007.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Kenya rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Kenya ranks 127th out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. 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); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children in primary school age who are in school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of children of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.