Kenya now has 3.1 million children in pre-primary school, up 7% in a year, and almost half are girls
Kenya's 2026 Economic Survey shows every stage growing: primary and the new junior secondary reach 11.9 million pupils, there are more trained teachers, and vocational institutions are up 13%.
More Kenyan children are starting school early. According to the 2026 Economic Survey from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), pre-primary enrolment rose from 2.91 million in 2024 to 3.12 million in 2025, up 7.1%. Girls and boys are joining equally: girls make up 49.6%.
Every stage is growing
- Primary and junior secondary: 11.9 million pupils, up 11.2%. The first full cohort of the new competency-based junior school (grades 7 to 9) numbers 3.7 million.
- Trained teachers: 81,843, up 5.5%.
- Vocational training: institutions reach 3,126, up 13.4%.
- Universities: from 72 to 74, and government student loans are up 32%.
Why it matters
The early years shape how a child learns later on. Near-parity for girls is a good sign in a region where they often fall behind. The challenge, analysts say, is keeping that equality through secondary school. The figures were released in the spring.
