Public Secondary Schools by County Compared to KCPE Candidates

Correlation of secondary schools and 2014 KCPE candidates

Top ten county list for total number of public secondary schools (the national schools are included in brackets).

1. Kisii - 319 (2)
2. Makueni - 313 (2)
3. Kakamega - 299 (2)
4. Meru - 291 (2)
5. Machakos - 271 (2)
6. Kitui - 267 (2)
7. Muranga - 265 (2)
8. Bungoma - 242 (2)
9. Homa Bay - 241 (2)
10. Kiambu - 238 (2)

Top ten county list for number of 2014 KCPE candidates.

1. Nairobi - 48,383
2. Nakuru - 44,810
3. Kakamega - 40,592
4. Bungoma - 38,405
5. Kiambu - 38,373
6. Kitui - 33,831
7. Machakos - 30,936
8. Makueni - 28,719
9. Kilifi - 28,645
10. Meru - 27,605 

Nairobi and Nakuru had the highest number of KCPE candidates in 2014 but were ranked 32nd and 18th on the list of public secondary per county with 80 (7) and 215 (4) public secondary schools respectively.

The correlation between public secondary schools in Kakamega, Bungoma, Kiambu, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni and Meru and KCPE candidates is good.

A complete list of ranking of counties by public secondary schools and KCPE candidates is in this Google work sheet Comparison 2014 KCPE Candidates and Public Secondary Schools. The chart below, in an interactive format, is on the second sheet.

KCPE candidates from Tharaka Nithi county appear to have the best outcomes for secondary school selection; with 9,204 candidates in 2014, 192 public secondary schools and the size of the county is relatively small.

Inequality 

But alas all schools are not equal hence we cannot tell what the quality of education is for the secondary school students in Tharaka Nithi.

If all the 6,324 public secondary schools had enough facilities to accept 139 form 1 students then all the KCPE candidates for 2014 would proceed to secondary school.

Even better if we include the 1,390 private secondary schools registered with the Kenya Private Schools Association (KPSA), then the number of form 1 students each secondary school would need to admit is 114.

Unfortunately not all schools are the same, with many charging more tuition and other fees than parents can afford. Even more frustrating the location of the secondary school correlates poorly with the primary schools.

Location, Location, Location

KCPE candidates in Nairobi have a huge disadvantage in the selection process to public secondary schools as there is significantly higher competition for the fewer schools in the county. The 291 private secondary schools in Nairobi, registered with the KPSA, addresses the shortfall for parents that can pay more but not for the poor. Interestingly Tharaka Nithi has only 3 private secondary school.

It is puzzling why are there so few public secondary schools in Nairobi. Perhaps poor planning or none at all. The current high cost of land compounds the resolution of this problem.

The Ministry of Education and Kenya National Examination Council rely on the location of all primary schools and the public secondary schools for the registration of KCPE candidates and selection for secondary school. They need to review the disparities and address the shortfall especially in Nairobi.

Solutions

Build more classrooms in existing schools. For example a whole new day secondary school can be built in Lenana School using a private public partnership model.

Construct day secondary schools next to existing primary schools.

Devolve the the education sector, from the national to needs to county governments; much of the public education system is already aligned with the county system.