Participation in Kenya’s
primary schools is relatively high: the “survival rate” to the last grade of
primary school from 2005 to 2010 was 96%, and “In
2004, only about 60% of primary students completed their education compared
with about 80% in 2008.”[1] In contrast, the enrollment of
students in secondary school dropped dramatically during 2005 to 2010: the male
secondary school net attendance ratio was at 40%, and female net attendance
ratio was at 42%.[2] This drop in enrollment is due to the fact
that secondary schools require students to pay for their own supplies, books
and tuition, and many cannot afford the expenses. However, “The transition from primary to
secondary and later to tertiary and university education has…improved in recent
years due to increased public and private investment in the education sector.”[3] Additionally, there
are several organizations that are working to improve Kenyan students’ chances
of academic success, such as the Kenyan Education Endowment Fund (KEEF) and Kenya
Education for Youth (KEY), which work to gather donations to contribute to
Kenya’s students so that they can attend school and pursue their goals. KEY acknowledges that “without the resources
to receive a quality education these students would remain in a life of
poverty.”[4] Thus, the prospect of contributing to Kenya’s
school enrollment takes on a greater importance, as it indirectly concerns the
future of Kenya: if the young, hopeful generation of Kenyans are given the
tools they need to succeed, they have an opportunity to “create a better
tomorrow for themselves and the world.”[5] Additionally, the Kenya Education Fund (KEF) pledges
that the quality of Kenyans’ lives can be improved through a proper education. The organization operates with the hope that
its work will help to increase the amount of Kenyans that can afford an
education and therefore provide better lives for these students.
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