Why 77% of Nairobi children are not ready for school - Report

A new report by the Nairobi City County Government has revealed a sobering truth that 77 percent of children aged five to six in Nairobi are not school-ready, meaning they have not mastered the basic knowledge and skills expected at the pre-primary level.

The findings come from the Baseline Study on the State of Early Childhood Development in Nairobi (2024), featured in the County’s newly released Pre-Primary Teacher Management Framework.

The report forms part of a broader effort to reform early learning in Kenya’s capital and shows just how deep the challenges run.

The Numbers Behind the Concern

According to the baseline data, while 77 per cent of children are not school-ready, approximately 73 per cent exhibit emerging competencies, indicating that they are developing some expected abilities but have yet to achieve full mastery.

School readiness was found to be closely linked to teacher preparedness, a child’s age and gender, early learning opportunities at home, the quality of the ECDE environment, and years of school attendance.

These findings, captured in the framework’s situational analysis, paint a detailed picture of how uneven access to quality early learning continues to shape outcomes across Nairobi.

What’s Holding Learners Back

The framework identifies several systemic barriers that limit effective pre-primary education.

Many of these challenges mirror those highlighted in the National Education Sector Strategic Plan (2022–2027).

Children in informal settlements remain disproportionately underserved due to regional and socioeconomic disparities. Inadequate infrastructure, including poorly equipped classrooms, a lack of sanitation facilities, and limited learning materials, further hampers progress.

High teacher turnover driven by low pay and limited career progression also weakens the system, while a shortage of inclusive education specialists means children with special needs receive minimal support.

Together, these factors undermine consistent teaching and the successful delivery of the competency-based curriculum during the early years.

Teachers at the Heart of the Problem

The County admits that teacher management has long been one of the weakest links.

Before recent reforms, Nairobi had a teacher–pupil ratio of 1:60, far above the national standard of 1:25. The County responded by recruiting 717 new teachers, improving the ratio to 1:26 by December 2023, and increasing enrolment from 14,000 learners in 2017 to 30,000 in 2023.

Still, many educators lack adequate qualifications. The Baseline Study found that 56.2 per cent of ECDE teachers fall below the minimum qualification, with 88 per cent in public centres holding only a certificate or less.

While most teachers reported satisfaction with their work, they expressed the least satisfaction with facilities and infrastructure, issues the County concedes remain unresolved.

What the Framework Proposes

The Pre-Primary Teacher Management Framework aims to address these gaps through a structured approach to teacher recruitment, deployment, promotion, and professional development.

It prioritises standardising teacher management across all 226 public pre-primary schools, introducing performance appraisals and continuous professional development, ensuring at least five per cent of new teacher recruitments go to persons with disabilities, and promoting gender equity and inclusivity in all appointments.

It also calls for a clear monitoring and evaluation system to track progress.

The County believes these reforms will create more equitable classrooms and improve early learning outcomes, especially in informal settlements.

Why It Matters

The first years of education lay the foundation for all future learning. The report emphasises that early learning shapes not only literacy and numeracy but also a child’s cognitive, emotional, and social development.

Without readiness at the pre-primary level, children struggle to catch up later, widening inequality and diminishing long-term outcomes for both individuals and the country.

By formalising teacher management, the County hopes to build a more inclusive, equitable, and high-quality early learning system, one where every child starts school ready to learn, and every teacher is equipped to guide them.