The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has launched 2024 school census exercise to help the national government build plans, policies and strategies for basic education.
The field data collection exercise was launched by Principal Secretary (PS) State Department for Basic Education Dr Belio Kipsang at Moi Girls School, Nairobi today, who said the exercise will cost the government around Ksh300 million.
The exercise will be conducted by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the National Treasury and Planning. It will cover all schools, public and private, providing basic education from pre-primary to secondary schools both regular and Special Needs Education (SNE), as well as all international schools.
The last exercise was conducted in 2007, but the government insists it has the data and the 2024 exercise is just for validation.
The PS said the purpose of the census is to gather accurate and comprehensive data about students, teachers, infrastructure and resources to help the government identify gaps and disparities within the system.
“The data will allow us to understand where resources are most needed and to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, has access to quality education. The census will give us robust information,” Kipsang said.
He observed that data-driven decisions lead to better educational outcomes, improved school environments, and equitable resource distribution.
PS for Economic Planning James Muhati said the fifty-day exercise will involve 670 census enumerators.
KNBS Director Macdonald Obudho indicated that The World Bank is one of the institutions supporting the exercise.
Stakeholders in the exercise include the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), Council of Governors (CoG), Kenya National Commission for UNESCO (KNATCOM), UNICEF, World Bank, and UNESCO.
Moi Girls School principal Margaret Njaggah became the first principal to give the data as part of the launch of the exercise. She noted that the data collection exercise will enhance quality of education in the country and infrastructure.
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