Share of the population with lower secondary education in Kenya
Kenya: Share of the population with lower secondary education was 66.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of the population with lower secondary education in Kenya, 1979–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population with lower secondary education in Kenya is 66.0%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 127.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with lower secondary education in Kenya peaked at 66.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.2%, in 1979.
That places Kenya 76th out of 135 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Share of the population with lower secondary education in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 9.2% | — |
| 2009 | 32.9% | +257.7% |
| 2010 | 29.1% | -11.7% |
| 2019 | 39.8% | +37.0% |
| 2020 | 58.8% | +47.5% |
| 2021 | 62.8% | +7.0% |
| 2022 | 64.3% | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 66.0% | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.2% | 9.2% | 9.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 32.9% | 32.9% | 32.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 34.5% | 29.1% | 39.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 63.0% | 58.8% | 66.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More education data for Kenya
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 3.36 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.97 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.89 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.97 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 611,146 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 23.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 170,289 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 135,124 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 273,073 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 29.97 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with lower secondary education in Kenya?
- Share of the population with lower secondary education in Kenya was 66.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with lower secondary education recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 66.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population with lower secondary education recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.2% in 1979.
- How does Kenya rank for share of the population with lower secondary education?
- Kenya ranks 76th out of 135 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population with lower secondary education rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 127.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Share of the population with lower secondary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of adults aged 25 and older who have completed lower secondary education or higher.