festivites
Here are some of the major festivities or holidays in Kenya, along with a brief explanation of their cultural traditions and how they are celebrated:
1. Jamhuri Day - Celebrated on December 12th every year, this holiday marks Kenya's independence from Britain in 1963. It is a day of national pride and celebration, with military parades, cultural performances, and speeches by government officials.
2. Madaraka Day - This holiday, celebrated on June 1st, commemorates the day in 1963 when Kenya became a self-governing nation within the British Commonwealth. The day is marked by parades, speeches, and cultural events, with the highlight being the president's address to the nation.
3. Eid al-Fitr - This is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. It is celebrated with family gatherings, feasting, gift-giving, and attending prayer services.
4. Christmas Day - As in many other countries around the world, Christmas is a major holiday in Kenya. It is celebrated with family gatherings, feasting, gift-giving, and attending church services.
5. Mashujaa Day - Celebrated on October 20th, this holiday honors Kenya's national heroes and heroines. It is marked by parades, speeches, and cultural events, as well as the awarding of medals to outstanding citizens.
6. Labour Day - May 1st is observed as Labour Day in Kenya, a day set aside to honor workers and their contributions to society. It is marked by parades, speeches, and cultural events, with a focus on labor-related issues such as fair wages and safe working conditions.
7. Easter - This Christian holiday is celebrated with church services, family gatherings, feasting, and egg hunts. Many Kenyans also participate in symbolic reenactments of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
These holidays and festivities are celebrated throughout Kenya with varying degrees of intensity and particular cultural traditions depending on the region, ethnic group, and religious affiliation of those celebrating.
seasons
In Kenya, there are three main tourist seasons:
1. High Season: From July to October and from December to January. This is the best time to see the Great Wildebeest Migration in the Maasai Mara, as well as many other wildlife sightings. However, prices for accommodation and tours tend to be higher during this period, and popular destinations can get crowded.
2. Shoulder Season: From June to September and from March to May. This is a good time to visit if you want to avoid crowds and enjoy slightly lower prices. However, weather conditions can be less predictable during these months, and some lodges and camps may close.
3. Low Season: From April to May and from November to early December. This is the least busy time of year for tourists, which means that prices can be much lower than during high season. However, some areas may experience heavy rainfall during this period, and wildlife sightings may be more difficult to come by.
visa
Here are some special VISA rules for citizens of various countries who want to visit Kenya:
1. Citizens of most countries require a visa to enter Kenya.
2. Visa applications can be submitted online or in person at Kenyan embassies or consulates.
3. The cost of a single-entry visa for most nationalities is 51 USD, and the cost of a multiple-entry visa is 100 USD.
4. Some nationalities are eligible for a visa on arrival, which costs 50 USD for a single-entry visa and 100 USD for a multiple-entry visa.
5. Citizens of a few countries, including Uganda and Rwanda, can enter Kenya without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Please note that visa rules and fees are subject to change, so it is always advisable to check with the relevant authorities before making travel plans.
souvenirs
Here are some popular souvenirs to buy from Kenya, along with their average prices and recommended places to purchase them:
1. Maasai beadwork - intricate beaded jewelry, belts, and other accessories made by the Maasai people. Price varies depending on the item, but expect to pay between $10-$50. Best bought from local markets such as Nairobi Masai Market or Maasai Market in Narok.
2. Kikoy - a brightly colored cloth that can be worn as a sarong, beach towel, or scarf. Prices range from $5-$20. You can find them at most tourist markets in cities like Nairobi, Mombasa, or Lamu.
3. Tinga Tinga artwork - colorful, whimsical paintings depicting African wildlife and scenes. Prices vary based on size and complexity, but expect to pay around $20-$100. Best bought in shops or galleries in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, or Nairobi.
4. Soapstone carvings - intricately carved sculptures and figurines made from soft soapstone. Prices range from $10-$50 depending on size and detail. Best bought in Kisii, a town in western Kenya known for its soapstone artisans.
5. Kenyan coffee - high-quality Arabica coffee grown in the rich soils of Kenya's highlands. Prices vary depending on the quality and packaging, but expect to pay around $10-$20 per pound. Best bought from coffee roasters like Dormans or Java House, or at supermarkets such as Nakumatt or Uchumi.
If you have 1 week
Kenya is a beautiful country with diverse landscapes and interesting cultures. For a week-long itinerary, I suggest the following:
Day 1: Nairobi National Park - Start your trip by visiting Nairobi National Park, which is located just outside of the city. You can experience the wildlife and get up close to elephants, lions, zebras, and more. It's a great way to get an introduction to Kenya's amazing wildlife.
Day 2: Maasai Mara National Reserve - From Nairobi, you can travel to the Maasai Mara National Reserve, which is one of the most famous and widely visited game reserves in Africa. You can witness the wildebeest migration if you visit between July and September, and see various wild animals such as lions, cheetahs, and giraffes. You can also learn about the traditional Maasai culture when you visit their villages.
Day 3: Lake Nakuru National Park - On the third day, I recommend visiting Lake Nakuru National Park, which is home to pink flamingos and other bird species. It's also a sanctuary for endangered species such as Rothschild giraffe and black rhino.
Day 4-5: Lamu Island - For a relaxing break from wildlife watching, head to Lamu Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This small island town has narrow streets with no cars and only donkeys used as transportation. You can soak up the Swahili culture, enjoy delicious seafood, and relax on the beach.
Day 6: Amboseli National Park - After some relaxation on the beach, you can head to Amboseli National Park, which is known for its large elephant herds, scenic views of Mount Kilimanjaro, and spectacular sunsets.
Day 7: Diani Beach - Lastly, you can end your trip at Diani Beach, which is known as one of the best beaches in Africa. You can go swimming, snorkeling, and diving in the clear waters, or just relax on the white sandy beach.
These are just a few suggestions for your week-long itinerary in Kenya, but there are many other amazing places to visit in this country. Enjoy your trip!
If you have 2 weeks
Fantastic! There are so many amazing places to visit in the world, and I'm excited to help you plan an itinerary for your two-week trip. Here is my suggested itinerary based on your location in Kenya:
Week 1:
- Maasai Mara National Reserve: This national park is known for its incredible wildlife and is home to the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebras. You can go on a safari tour to see all kinds of animals, from lions to elephants to hippos.
- Zanzibar Island: A beautiful tropical island with white sandy beaches and clear blue waters perfect for swimming, snorkeling or diving. Zanzibar is also known for its spice trade, which you can learn about by taking a tour of the spice plantations.
Week 2:
- Victoria Falls: Located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, this breathtaking waterfall is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. You can take a guided tour or even go bungee jumping off the bridge above the falls.
- Cape Town, South Africa: Known for its stunning natural beauty, including Table Mountain and the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. You can also take a trip to Robben Island to learn about Nelson Mandela's imprisonment there during apartheid.
These destinations offer a wide range of experiences, from wildlife and nature to culture and history. Each place has something unique to offer and provides a different perspective on the world around us. I hope you have a fantastic time exploring these amazing locations!
Culture
The culture of Kenya comprises multiple traditions. Kenya has no single prominent culture. It instead consists of the various cultures of the country's different communities.
Notable populations include the Swahili on the coast, several other Bantu communities in the central and western regions, and Nilotic communities in the northwest. The Maasai culture is well known to tourism, despite constituting a relatively small part of Kenya's population. They are renowned for their elaborate upper-body adornment and jewellery.
Additionally, Kenya has an extensive music, television, and theatre scene.
Kenya has a number of media outlets that broadcast domestically and globally. They cover news, business, sports, and entertainment. Popular Kenyan newspapers include:
* The Daily Nation; part of the Nation Media Group (NMG) (largest market share)
* The Standard
* The Star
* The People
* East Africa Weekly
* Taifa Leo
Television stations based in Kenya include:
* Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC)
* Citizen TV
* Kenya Television Network (KTN)
* NTV (part of the Nation Media Group (NMG))
* Kiss Television
* K24 Television
* Kass-TV
All these terrestrial channels are transmitted via a DVB T2 digital TV signal.
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o is one of Kenya's best-known writers. His novel Weep Not, Child depicts life in Kenya during the British occupation. The story details the effects of the Mau Mau on the lives of Kenyans. Its combination of themes—colonialism, education, and love—helped make it one of the best-known African novels.
M.G. Vassanji's 2003 novel The In-Between World of Vikram Lall won the Giller Prize in 2003. It is the fictional memoir of a Kenyan of Indian heritage and his family as they adjust to the changing political climates in colonial and post-colonial Kenya.
Since 2003, the literary journal Kwani? has been publishing Kenyan contemporary literature. Kenya has also nurtured emerging versatile authors such as Paul Kipchumba (Kipwendui, Kibiwott) who demonstrate a pan-African outlook.
Kenya has a diverse assortment of popular music forms, in addition to multiple types of folk music based on the variety of over 40 regional languages.
Drums are the most dominant instrument in popular Kenyan music. Drum beats are very complex and include both native rhythms and imported ones, especially the Congolese cavacha rhythm. Popular Kenyan music usually involves the interplay of multiple parts, and more recently, showy guitar solos as well. There are also a number of local hip-hop artists, including Jua Cali; Afro-pop bands such as Sauti Sol; and musicians who play local genres like Benga, such as Akothee.
Lyrics are most often in Kiswahili or English. There is also some emerging aspect of Lingala borrowed from Congolese musicians. Lyrics are also written in local languages. Urban radio generally only plays English music, though there also exist a number of vernacular radio stations.
Zilizopendwa is a genre of local urban music that was recorded in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s by musicians such as Daudi Kabaka, Fadhili William, and Sukuma Bin Ongaro, and is particularly enjoyed by older people—having been popularised by the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation's Kiswahili service (formerly called Voice of Kenya or VOK).
The Isukuti is a vigorous dance performed by the Luhya sub-tribes to the beat of a traditional drum called the Isukuti during many occasions such as the birth of a child, marriage, or funeral. Other traditional dances include the Ohangla among the Luo, Nzele among the Mijikenda, Mugithi among the Kikuyu, and Taarab among the Swahili.
Additionally, Kenya has a growing Christian gospel music scene. Prominent local gospel musicians include the Kenyan Boys Choir.
Benga music has been popular since the late 1960s, especially in the area around Lake Victoria. The word benga is occasionally used to refer to any kind of pop music. Bass, guitar, and percussion are the usual instruments.
Kenya is active in several sports, among them cricket, rallying, football, rugby, field hockey, and boxing. The country is known chiefly for its dominance in middle-distance and long-distance athletics, having consistently produced Olympic and Commonwealth Games champions in various distance events, especially in 800 m, 1,500 m, 3,000 m steeplechase, 5,000 m, 10,000 m, and the marathon. Kenyan athletes (particularly Kalenjin), continue to dominate the world of distance running, although competition from Morocco and Ethiopia has reduced this supremacy. Kenya's best-known athletes include the four-time women's Boston Marathon winner and two-time world champion Catherine Ndereba, 800m world record holder David Rudisha, former marathon world record-holder Paul Tergat, and John Ngugi.
Kenya won several medals during the Beijing Olympics: six gold, four silver, and four bronze, making it Africa's most successful nation in the 2008 Olympics. New athletes gained attention, such as Pamela Jelimo, the women's 800m gold medalist who went on to win the IAAF Golden League jackpot, and Samuel Wanjiru, who won the men's marathon. Retired Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion Kipchoge Keino helped usher in Kenya's ongoing distance dynasty in the 1970s and was followed by Commonwealth Champion Henry Rono's spectacular string of world record performances. Lately, there has been controversy in Kenyan athletics circles, with the defection of a number of Kenyan athletes to represent other countries, chiefly Bahrain and Qatar. The Kenyan Ministry of Sports has tried to stop the defections, but they have continued anyway, with Bernard Lagat being the latest, choosing to represent the United States. Most of these defections occur because of economic or financial factors. Decisions by the Kenyan government to tax athletes' earnings may also be a motivating factor. Some elite Kenyan runners who cannot qualify for their country's strong national team find it easier to qualify by running for other countries.
Kenya has been a dominant force in women's volleyball within Africa, with both the clubs and the national team winning various continental championships in the past decade. The women's team has competed at the Olympics and World Championships, though without any notable success. Cricket is another popular sport, also ranking as the most successful team sport. Kenya has competed in the Cricket World Cup since 1996. They upset some of the world's best teams and reached the semi-finals of the 2003 tournament. They won the inaugural World Cricket League Division 1 hosted in Nairobi and participated in the World T20. They also participated in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Their current captain is Rakep Patel.
Kenya is represented by Lucas Onyango as a professional rugby league player who plays with the English club Oldham. Besides the former Super League team, he has played for the Widnes Vikings and with the Sale Sharks. Rugby is increasing in popularity, especially with the annual Safari Sevens tournament. The Kenya Sevens team ranked 9th in the IRB Sevens World Series for the 2006 season. In 2016, the team beat Fiji at the Singapore Sevens finals, making Kenya the second African nation after South Africa to win a World Series championship. Kenya was once also a regional powerhouse in football. However, its dominance has been eroded by wrangles within the now defunct Kenya Football Federation, leading to a suspension by FIFA which was lifted in March 2007.
In the motor rallying arena, Kenya is home to the world-famous Safari Rally, commonly acknowledged as one of the toughest rallies in the world. First held in 1953, it was a part of the World Rally Championship for many years until its exclusion after the 2002 event owing to financial difficulties. Some of the best rally drivers in the world have taken part in and won the rally, such as Björn Waldegård, Hannu Mikkola, Tommi Mäkinen, Shekhar Mehta, Carlos Sainz, and Colin McRae. The Safari Rally returned to the world championship in 2021, after the 2003–2019 events ran as part of the African Rally Championship.
Nairobi has hosted several major continental sports events, including the FIBA Africa Championship 1993, where Kenya's national basketball team finished in the top four, its best performance to date.
Kenya also has its own ice hockey team, the Kenya Ice Lions. The team's home ground is the Solar Ice Rink at the Panari Sky Centre in Nairobi, which is the first and largest ice rink in all of Africa.
Kenyans generally have three meals in a day—breakfast (kiamsha kinywa), lunch (chakula cha mchana), and supper (chakula cha jioni or simply chajio). In between, they have the 10-o'clock tea (chai ya saa nne) and 4 p.m. tea (chai ya saa kumi). Breakfast is usually tea or porridge with bread, chapati, mahamri, boiled sweet potatoes, or yams. Githeri is a common lunchtime dish in many households, while Ugali with vegetables, sour milk (mursik), meat, fish, or any other stew is generally eaten by much of the population for lunch or supper. Regional variations and dishes also exist.
In western Kenya, among the Luo, fish is a common dish; among the Kalenjin, who dominate much of the Rift Valley Region, mursik—sour milk—is a common drink.
In cities such as Nairobi, there are fast-food restaurants, including Steers, KFC, and Subway. There are also many fish-and-chips shops.
Cheese is becoming more popular in Kenya, with consumption increasing particularly among the middle class.
Religion
Most Kenyans are Christian (85.5%), with 53.9% Protestant and 20.6% Roman Catholic. The Presbyterian Church of East Africa has 3 million followers in Kenya and surrounding countries. There are smaller conservative Reformed churches, the Africa Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the Independent Presbyterian Church in Kenya, and the Reformed Church of East Africa. Orthodox Christianity has 621,200 adherents. Kenya has by far the highest number of Quakers of any country in the world, with around 146,300. The only Jewish synagogue in the country is in Nairobi.
Islam is the second largest religion, comprising 10.9% of the population. 60% of Kenyan Muslims live in the Coastal Region, comprising 50% of the total population there, while the upper part of Kenya's Eastern Region is home to 10% of the country's Muslims, where they are the majority religious group. Indigenous beliefs are practised by 0.7% of the population, although many self-identifying Christians and Muslims maintain some traditional beliefs and customs. Nonreligious Kenyans are 1.6% of the population.
Some Hindus also live in Kenya. The numbers are estimated to be around 60,287, or 0.13% of the population.
Demographics
Kenya had a population of approximately 48 million in January 2017. The country has a young population, with 73% of residents under 30 because of rapid population growth, from 2.9 million to 40 million inhabitants over the last century.
Nairobi is home to Kibera, one of the world's largest slums. The shantytown is believed to house between 170,000 and one million people. The UNHCR base in Dadaab in the north houses around 500,000.
Kenya has a diverse population that includes many of Africa's major ethnoracial and linguistic groups. Although there is no official list of Kenyan ethnic groups, the number of ethnic categories and sub-categories recorded in the country's census has changed significantly over time, expanding from 42 in 1969 to more than 120 in 2019. Most residents are Bantus (60%) or Nilotes (30%). Cushitic groups also form a small ethnic minority, as do Arabs, Indians, and Europeans.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), in 2019, Kenya had a total population of 47,564,296. The largest native ethnic groups were the Kikuyu (8,148,668), Luhya (6,823,842), Kalenjin (6,358,113), Luo (5,066,966), Kamba (4,663,910), Somali (2,780,502), Kisii (2,703,235), Mijikenda (2,488,691), Meru (1,975,869), Maasai (1,189,522), and Turkana (1,016,174). The North Eastern Province of Kenya, formerly known as NFD, is predominantly inhabited by the indigenous ethnic Somalis. Foreign-rooted populations include Arabs, Asians, and Europeans.
Kenya's various ethnic groups typically speak their mother tongues within their own communities. The two official languages, English and Swahili, are used in varying degrees of fluency for communication with other populations. English is widely spoken in commerce, schooling, and government. Peri-urban and rural dwellers are less multilingual, with many in rural areas speaking only their native languages.
British English is primarily used in Kenya. Additionally, a distinct local dialect, Kenyan English, is used by some communities and individuals in the country, and contains features unique to it that were derived from local Bantu languages such as Kiswahili and Kikuyu. It has been developing since colonisation and also contains certain elements of American English. Sheng is a Kiswahili-based cant spoken in some urban areas. Primarily a mixture of Swahili and English, it is an example of linguistic code-switching.
69 languages are spoken in Kenya. Most belong to two broad language families: Niger-Congo (Bantu branch) and Nilo-Saharan (Nilotic branch), spoken by the country's Bantu and Nilotic populations respectively. The Cushitic and Arab ethnic minorities speak languages belonging to the separate Afroasiatic family, with the Indian and European residents speaking languages from the Indo-European family.
Most Kenyans are Christian (85.5%), with 53.9% Protestant and 20.6% Roman Catholic. The Presbyterian Church of East Africa has 3 million followers in Kenya and surrounding countries. There are smaller conservative Reformed churches, the Africa Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the Independent Presbyterian Church in Kenya, and the Reformed Church of East Africa. Orthodox Christianity has 621,200 adherents. Kenya has by far the highest number of Quakers of any country in the world, with around 146,300. The only Jewish synagogue in the country is in Nairobi.
Islam is the second largest religion, comprising 10.9% of the population. 60% of Kenyan Muslims live in the Coastal Region, comprising 50% of the total population there, while the upper part of Kenya's Eastern Region is home to 10% of the country's Muslims, where they are the majority religious group. Indigenous beliefs are practised by 0.7% of the population, although many self-identifying Christians and Muslims maintain some traditional beliefs and customs. Nonreligious Kenyans are 1.6% of the population.
Some Hindus also live in Kenya. The numbers are estimated to be around 60,287, or 0.13% of the population.
Health care is one of the low-priority sectors in Kenya and was allocated 4.8% of the national budget in 2019/2020 or just 4.59% of GDP compared to high-priority sectors such as education which was allocated more than 25%. This is below the 4.98% average in Sub-Saharan Africa and 9.83% spent globally.
According to the National and County Health Budget Analysis FY 2020/21, the breakdown of county health expenditure was 58% on Policy Planning and Administrative Support Services, 28% on Curative and Rehabilitative Health Services, 8% on Preventive and Promotive Health Services and 7% on Other Programmes.
Health care is largely funded by private individuals and their families or employers through direct payments to health care providers, to the National Health Insurance Fund or to medical insurance companies. Additional funding comes from local, international and some government social safety net schemes. Public hospitals are fee-for-service establishments that generate large amounts of county and national government revenues making them highly political and corrupt enterprises. Under the Competition Act Chapter 12 of 2010 Laws of Kenya, price fixing by health care providers is illegal and punishable by law.
Kenya is currently grappling with a large number of unemployed health care providers (including health facilities) many of whom are under-utilised, underemployed or not practicing. A large thriving black market for counterfeit medicines and health services exists and is largely controlled by quacks and charlatans. Kenya is a major regional transit route and destination for counterfeit medications and other health products. The corporate practice of medicine is a deeply entrenched vice that has not been subjected to judicial review resulting in widespread sharing of medical practice incomes with non-medical persons and, more recently, in the actual trading of patients and health care providers in financial markets.
Private health facilities are diverse, highly dynamic, and difficult to classify, unlike public health facilities, which are easily grouped in classes that consist of community-based (level I) services, run by community health workers; dispensaries (level II facilities) run by nurses; health centres (level III facilities), run by clinical officers; sub-county hospitals (level IV facilities), which may be run by a clinical officer or a medical officer; county hospitals (level V facilities), which may be run by a medical officer or a medical practitioner; and national referral hospitals (level VI facilities), which are run by fully qualified medical practitioners.
Nurses are by far the largest group of front-line health care providers in all sectors, followed by clinical officers, medical officers, and medical practitioners. These are absorbed and deployed into government service in accordance with the Scheme of Service for Nursing Personnel (2014), the Revised Scheme of Service for Clinical Personnel (2020) and the Revised Scheme of Service for Medical Officers and Dental Officers (2016).
Traditional healers (herbalists, witch doctors, and faith healers) are readily available, trusted, and widely consulted as practitioners of first or last choice by both rural and urban dwellers.
Despite major achievements in the health sector, Kenya still faces many challenges. The estimated life expectancy dropped in 2009 to approximately 55 years — five years below the 1990 level. The infant mortality rate was high at approximately 44 deaths per 1,000 children in 2012. The WHO estimated in 2011 that only 42% of births were attended by a skilled health professional.
Diseases of poverty directly correlate with a country's economic performance and wealth distribution: In 2015/16, 35.6% of Kenyans lived below the poverty line. Preventable diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS, pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malnutrition are the biggest burden, major child-killers, and responsible for much morbidity; weak policies, corruption, inadequate health workers, weak management, and poor leadership in the public health sector are largely to blame. According to 2009 estimates, HIV/AIDS prevalence is about 6.3% of the adult population. However, the 2011 UNAIDS Report suggests that the HIV epidemic may be improving in Kenya, as HIV prevalence is declining among young people (ages 15–24) and pregnant women. Kenya had an estimated 15 million cases of malaria in 2006.
The total fertility rate in Kenya was estimated to be 4.49 children per woman in 2012. According to a 2008–09 survey by the Kenyan government, the total fertility rate was 4.6% and the contraception usage rate among married women was 46%. Maternal mortality is high, partly because of female genital mutilation, with about 27% of women having undergone it. This practice is however on the decline as the country becomes more modernised, and in 2011 it was banned in Kenya. Women were economically empowered before colonialisation. By colonial land alienation, women lost access and control of land. They became more economically dependent on men. A colonial order of gender emerged where males dominated females. Median age at first marriage increases with increasing education. Rape, defilement, and battering are not always seen as serious crimes. Reports of sexual assault are not always taken seriously.
Article 260 of the Kenyan Constitution of 2010 defines youth as those between the ages of 18 and 34. According to the 2019 Population and Census results, 75 percent of the 47.6 million population is under the age of 35, making Kenya a country of the youth. Youth unemployment and underemployment in Kenya has become a problem. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), approximately 1.7 million people lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which eliminated some informal jobs and caused the economy to slow. The Kenyan government has made progress in addressing the high youth unemployment by implementing various affirmative action programs and projects which include; the National Youth Service, The National Youth Enterprise Development Fund, The Women Enterprise Fund, Kazi Mtaani, Ajira Digital, Kikao Mtaani, Uwezo fund, Future Bora and Studio mashinani that empower the youth, offer job opportunities and to raise one's standard of living.
Children attend nursery school, or kindergarten in the private sector until they are five years old. This lasts one to three years (KG1, KG2 and KG3) and is financed privately because there has been no government policy on pre-schooling until recently.
Basic formal education starts at age six and lasts 12 years, consisting of eight years in primary school and four in high school or secondary. Primary school is free in public schools and those attending can join a vocational youth/village polytechnic, or make their own arrangements for an apprenticeship program and learn a trade such as tailoring, carpentry, motor vehicle repair, brick-laying and masonry for about two years.
Those who complete high school can join a polytechnic or other technical college and study for three years, or proceed directly to university and study for four years. Graduates from the polytechnics and colleges can then join the workforce and later obtain a specialised higher diploma qualification after a further one to two years of training, or join the university—usually in the second or third year of their respective course. The higher diploma is accepted by many employers in place of a bachelor's degree and direct or accelerated admission to post-graduate studies is possible in some universities.
Public universities in Kenya are highly commercialised institutions and only a small fraction of qualified high school graduates are admitted on limited government-sponsorship into programs of their choice. Most are admitted into the social sciences, which are cheap to run, or as self-sponsored students paying the full cost of their studies. Most qualified students who miss out opt for middle-level diploma programs in public or private universities, colleges, and polytechnics.
In 2018, 18.5 percent of the Kenyan adult population was illiterate, which was the highest rate of literacy in East Africa. There are very wide regional disparities: for example, Nairobi had the highest level of literacy at 87.1 per cent, compared to North Eastern Province, the lowest, at 8.0 per cent. Preschool, which targets children from age three to five, is an integral component of the education system and is a key requirement for admission to Standard One (First Grade). At the end of primary education, pupils sit the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), which determines those who proceed to secondary school or vocational training. The result of this examination is needed for placement at secondary school.
Primary school is for students aged 6/7-13/14 years. For those who proceed to the secondary level, there is a national examination at the end of Form Four – the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), which determines those proceeding to the universities, other professional training, or employment. Students sit examinations in eight subjects of their choosing. However, English, Kiswahili, and mathematics are compulsory subjects.
The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), formerly the Joint Admissions Board (JAB), is responsible for selecting students joining the public universities. Other than the public schools, there are many private schools, mainly in urban areas. Similarly, there are a number of international schools catering to various overseas educational systems.
Despite its impressive commercial approach, Kenya's academia and higher education system is somehow rigid. However, Kenyan University Graduates are highly skilled, and they are accepted in the job market domestically as well as internationally. Kenya was ranked 85th in the Global Innovation Index in 2021.
Cities:
