A new study by Usawa Agenda highlights the classroom as a critical shield against early motherhood, revealing that girls out of school are 12 times more likely to become pregnant than their peers in the education system.
In a report seen by Education News, Usawa Agenda’s latest study, “What is the State of Gender Equality in Our Basic Education?” examines the country’s schooling system. The report states that no child faces more disadvantages than a girl who is out of school.
“Most importantly, however, this report highlights the fact that no child is more disadvantaged than a girl out of school,” reads the report.
Furthermore, the report underscores ongoing disparities in Kenyan learning environments, which continue to disproportionately affect girls, children with disabilities, refugees, and those from marginalized communities.
The research was conducted in June and July last year and covered all 47 counties, including 2,056 enumeration areas. The researchers visited 41,156 households, reaching over 81,000 children and assessing nearly 50,000 eligible learners. They also visited 1,527 primary and comprehensive schools and assessed their facilities, staffing, leadership, and enrolment levels. The assessment focused on children aged 10-15 years, both in and out of school, and children in Grades 3 to 9, up to age 17 years.
According to the report, nationally, more school-aged boys are out of class than girls. However, the trend reverses among refugee populations, where girls are more likely to be excluded from education.
“More boys of school age are likely to be out of school than girls nationally, while among refugee children, girls are more likely to be out of school than boys,” reads the report.
The report identifies children aged four and five as a high-risk group across the board. However, vulnerability peaks differently for older children, whereby Kenyan households see a spike among those aged 13 to 17, while the refugee population faces the greatest risk in the six to 12 age bracket.
The study also links school attendance to household dynamics. While Kenyan girls struggle most in female-headed households, Kenyan boys remain the most disadvantaged group overall, regardless of the head of household. However, the situation flips for refugees: there, children from male-headed homes face the highest risk of being out of school.
The study further brought to light that parental education levels play a significant role in determining whether a child attends school.
“A child in a household headed by an adult without formal education is almost 10 times as likely as his/her counterpart in a household headed by at least a degree holder,” reads the report.
The report also sheds light on the plight of learners with disabilities. It finds that those with mental disabilities are the most frequently shut out of the school system, while noting that boys in this category are slightly more likely to be out of school than their female peers.
The report also highlights a shifting gender balance in school leadership. While women make up 58 per cent of primary school teachers, that figure slips to 51 per cent in junior secondary and falls to just 43 per cent in senior schools.
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The report concludes that while Kenya’s education system has made progress in expanding access, it has not yet achieved gender-transformative education. According to the report, persistent inequalities in resources, leadership, and school environments continue to limit the system’s ability to provide just, equitable, and empowering education for all learners.
By Frank Mugwe
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