Thousands of Public Secondary Schools Face Possible Closure Amid Falling Enrolment
By Chemtai Kirui || Kass Digital
Thousands of public secondary schools across the country could face closure or restructuring as declining enrollment and funding pressures leave some institutions struggling to remain operational, according to education officials and sector data.
Education authorities estimate that more than 2,700 public secondary schools, most of them day schools in rural and peri-urban areas, are operating below enrolment levels needed to sustain staffing and basic government support.
Under the current funding model, schools receive capitation based on the number of students enrolled. Institutions with persistently low enrolment face difficulties covering utilities, learning materials and non-teaching staff costs, while also struggling to justify teacher deployment.
Some schools are operating with fewer than 40 students across all four forms, county education officers say.
Officials at the Ministry of Education acknowledge the challenge but say no decisions have been made to shut down schools.
“Where enrolment remains extremely low over several years, it becomes difficult to allocate resources efficiently,” an education official familiar with the discussions said, adding that the ministry is reviewing options to manage the situation without undermining access to education.
Education officers attribute the falling numbers to population shifts, migration, declining birth rates in some regions, and competition from nearby schools perceived to have better facilities or academic performance.
In other areas, parents are opting for boarding schools, leaving smaller day schools under-subscribed.
The impact is being felt most acutely in rural counties, where distances between schools are already long and alternative options limited.
Teachers’ unions have warned that closures or mergers, if poorly handled, could force students to travel farther to school and increase dropout risks — particularly for girls.
“Any restructuring must be carefully planned. If schools are closed without clear alternatives, learners in marginalised areas will suffer most,” a union representative said, urging targeted support for struggling institutions.
The ministry says it is considering school mergers, shared resources between neighbouring schools, and targeted interventions to stabilise enrolment in areas where communities still rely on local schools.
The government has expanded access to secondary education over the past decade through free day secondary schooling and higher transition rates from primary school. However, education analysts say the rapid expansion was not always aligned with long-term demographic trends.
As budget pressures persist, the debate over how to balance access, quality and sustainability in public education is likely to intensify.
For now, the future of the affected schools and the communities that depend on them, remains uncertain as education authorities weigh their next steps.
