School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Kenya
Kenya: School enrollment, primary (% gross) was 98.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, primary in Kenya, 1970–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
In 2023, school enrollment, primary in Kenya stood at 98.2%.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in Kenya peaked at 118.2% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 60.3%, in 1970.
Kenya ranks 122nd of 205 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 60.3% | — |
| 1971 | 61.7% | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 65.2% | +5.7% |
| 1973 | 67.9% | +4.1% |
| 1974 | 100.3% | +47.7% |
| 1975 | 102.9% | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 99.2% | -3.6% |
| 1977 | 98.9% | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 95.6% | -3.4% |
| 1979 | 115.6% | +20.9% |
| 1980 | 117.3% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 115.1% | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 117.9% | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 118.2% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 114.5% | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 109.8% | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 109.9% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 109.7% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 108.0% | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 108.9% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 105.3% | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 103.0% | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 101.5% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 100.4% | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 96.3% | -4.1% |
| 1995 | 93.3% | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 92.9% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 90.7% | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 94.3% | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 95.2% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 89.2% | -6.2% |
| 2003 | 103.9% | +16.4% |
| 2004 | 103.7% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 103.6% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 101.2% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 107.6% | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 107.1% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 107.9% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 111.4% | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 107.1% | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 104.8% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 104.1% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 102.0% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 99.8% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 77.5% | -22.3% |
| 2020 | 92.0% | +18.6% |
| 2021 | 93.8% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 98.6% | +5.1% |
| 2023 | 98.2% | -0.3% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 98.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 102.7%, 96% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 98.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 100.4%, 98% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School enrollment, primary (% gross) 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 | +47.7% | 67.9% | 100.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 86.8% | 60.3% | 115.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 112.9% | 108.0% | 118.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 97.9% | 90.7% | 105.3% | 8 |
| 2000s | 101.4% | 89.2% | 107.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 101.0% | 77.5% | 111.4% | 7 |
| 2020s | 95.6% | 92.0% | 98.6% | 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 school enrollment, primary in Kenya?
- School enrollment, primary in Kenya was 98.2% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 118.2% in 1983.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.3% in 1970.
- How does Kenya rank for school enrollment, primary?
- Kenya ranks 122nd out of 205 countries with data for 2023.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, primary (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Primary education provides children with basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills along with an elementary understanding of such subjects as history, geography, natural science, social science, art, and music.