Disability is not Inability

:: How many children are out of school?

The implementation of the free primary education for the last four years has seen almost two million children enrol into primary school in Kenya between the years 2003 and 2007. There are however conflicting reports on exactly how many are yet to enrol and where they are? The demands of the Children's Act are now increasingly being felt by both the government and the parents.

Several studies by the government have had challenges with specific figures to help effectively ensure that free education budgeting is relevant. How many schools do we need? How many teacher? and how much should the government spend to ensure TRUE Free education within the principles of Education for ALL.

How many are out of school?

So it was interesting recently for the Government ot bring out figures indicating that slightly below a million children are out of school. The Kenya Integrated Household Budget Survey, whose results were released recently in the month of April 2007 indicate that about 690,000 children are out of school despite the free education programme. Independent sources double these figures are out of school.

The government therefore ordered a crackdown on these children. The Government believes they have no reason to be on the streets as there is free primary education being provided that so far has cost the over Kshs. 30 Billion. The report indicates that some of the children were not going to school because parents were too poor to buy food and uniform.

Sources in the Civil Society and International developmment reports indicate there are over 1.5 million children do not go to school in the country despite the 3 years of the free schooling programme. It is estimated that there are about 250,000 children living in the streets of major towns in Kenya. Most are between the age of six and eleven who should be in school. There are also estimates that over 150,000 children living with various disabilities are also not in school.


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