Education in Nairobi

Education is seen as an important avenue for any upward social mobility in Nairobi. The importance of education has been growing steadily in recent decades but literacy levels are still low in certain areas including the major slums. In the early 1960’s the Kenyan government promised free primary education to its citizens. However due to cost sharing measure between the government and the citizen’s fees were reestablished in the 1980’s causing many children to have to forfeit their opportunity for an education.

Nowadays, there is an educational system in place that is similar to ours. There is a primary education that is set at 8 years followed by secondary education similar to our high school for 4 years followed by university education.

Since the Kenyan government began placing emphasis on its education in the 1960’s and 1970’s seven public universities and 23 private universities have been established.

With all the progress that has been made in Nairobi’s education over the last half century, there are still major hurdles that still hold down the educational system’s attempt to further advance.

For instance a shortage of teachers is a huge issue haunting the educational system especially in the primary schools. The lack of funding is still the main cancer in the advancement of Nairobi’s education system.

But what if there was a way for the government to give more funds toward the education of its citizens? As previously stated education is an important gateway to move up in the social hierarchy of Nairobi. It would give opportunities to a new generation of Kenyans that had not even been thought possible.
AIDS education has been a main point as well for Kenya. Kenya is home to one the the harshest AIDS epidemic in the world, but since the beggining of the millenium there have been advances in the fight against the spread of AIDS. AIDS awareness has decreased the percentage new instances of people transmitting AIDS, as well as the use of condoms which has helped the cause.