Kenya: Children out of school, primary

Key figures

Since 1999 it is down 76.12% from 1.96 million in 1999 (5.79% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 10 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2023, Kenya's children out of school, primary fell 82.7% on 2022 (from 2.7 million to 468,923).

Across the 11 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2022), the average change was −4.9% and a typical year strayed about 40.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.9 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 93.1% in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 82.7% in 2023. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2023, Kenya had the 3rd highest value of the 37 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Kenya in the 2023 ranking

• Nigeria — 1st of 37: 9.07 million
• Mali — 2nd of 37: 1.19 million
• South Africa — 4th of 37: 448,146
• Russian Federation — 5th of 37: 187,975
• Congo, Rep. — 6th of 37: 171,125

What this measures

Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.

Limitations: Due to different data sources for enrollment and population data, the number may not capture the actual number of children not attending in primary school.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 15 values

Children out of school, primary in nearby economies

• Benin — 213,285 (2022)
• Botswana — 1,869 (2022)
• Burkina Faso — 1.36 million (2024)
• Burundi — 661,724 (2025)
• Cabo Verde — 24,851 (2022)
• Cameroon — 173,924 (2024)
• Chad — 855,041 (2024)
• Comoros — 21,743 (2024)
• Congo, Rep. — 171,125 (2023)
• Côte d'Ivoire — 650,800 (2024)
• Equatorial Guinea — 128,846 (2015)

More education data for Kenya

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 8.04 million (2023)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 98.25% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 96.63% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 99.85% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.97 (2019)
• Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)

Reading data like this

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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Kenya's children out of school, primary?

468,923 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1999?

It is down 76.12% from 1.96 million in 1999 (5.79% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 3 million in 2021 and the lowest 311,609 in 2007.

How does Kenya rank?

3rd highest of 37 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in children out of school, primary unusual for Kenya?

In 2023, Kenya's children out of school, primary fell 82.7% on 2022 (from 2.7 million to 468,923). Across the 11 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2022), the average change was −4.9% and a typical year strayed about 40.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.9 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.UNER, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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