This study aims to understand the role of private secondary schools in rural Kenya under the Free Secondary Education Policy. Data were collected from four private schools over two months in 2018 and 2019. All the schools had experienced instability due to low enrolment, particularly after the policy was implemented in 2018. The decline in the schools' income also affected the quality of education. However, the results suggest that some students prefer to complete their education at private schools as low-expense-boarders or as beneficiaries of fee discounts. Other students choose private schools to avoid overcrowded classrooms and travel far, especially when excluded from public schools. This study argues that despite limited learning resources, private secondary schools in rural Kenya have an important place in the public education system outside of the academic pyramid of public schools.

No abstract

This article examines the emerging unfair inequality in Kenyan secondary schools through comparative case studies of three secondary schools in western Kenya. Qualitative data were collected through fieldwork over a four-year period, with participant observation and semi- or non-structured interviews, to understand how interactions among schools, households, and communities impact the improvement of educational quality. This study demonstrates that educational inequality stems from economic background and academic performance. While establishing new schools allowed students to choose better schools in their vicinity, increasing school competition resulted in a school hierarchy restricting uniform access due to factors of affordability and academic achievement. This suggests that the unplanned establishment of new schools constrains vulnerable students from continuing their education. Expanding educational opportunities and improving quality are important facets of education; however, it is necessary to pay attention to the beneficiaries of this process, as economic inequality may translate into educational inequality.

No abstract