Kenya: School enrollment, secondary, female (% gross)

Key figures

Since 1970 it is up 73.82 percentage points from 10.93% in 1970. The World Bank has no value for 23 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2023, Kenya's school enrollment, secondary, female (% gross) rose 1.32 percentage points on 2022 (from 83.43% to 84.75%).

Across the 25 yearly changes before that (1971 to 2022), the average change was +1.56 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.88 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 7.04 percentage points in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.28 percentage points in 1981. 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 34th highest value of the 47 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

• North Macedonia — 31st of 47: 90.17%
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 32nd of 47: 86.2%
• Maldives — 33rd of 47: 84.99%
• Romania — 35th of 47: 81.88%
• Bermuda — 36th of 47: 79.97%
• Nicaragua — 37th of 47: 70.67%

What this measures

Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Secondary education completes the provision of basic education that began at the primary level, and aims at laying the foundations for lifelong learning and human development, by offering more subject- or skill-oriented instruction using more specialized teachers.

Limitations: Enrollment indicators are based on annual school surveys, but do not necessarily reflect actual attendance or dropout rates during the year. Also, the length of education differs across countries and can influence enrollment rates, although the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) tries to minimize the difference. For example, a shorter duration for primary education tends to increase the rate; a longer one to decrease it (in part because older children are more at risk of dropping out). Moreover, age at enrollment may be inaccurately estimated or misstated, especially in communities where registration of births is not strictly enforced.

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

All 31 values

School enrollment, secondary, female (% gross) in nearby economies

• Angola — 48.12% (2023)
• Benin — 40.28% (2022)
• Botswana — 74.07% (2021)
• Burkina Faso — 33.24% (2024)
• Burundi — 26.38% (2025)
• Cabo Verde — 103.58% (2022)
• Cameroon — 42.49% (2023)
• Central African Republic — 12.79% (2017)
• Chad — 19.44% (2024)
• Comoros — 56.41% (2022)

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 school enrollment, secondary, female (% gross)?

84.75% in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 73.82 percentage points from 10.93% in 1970. The highest value was 84.75% in 2023 and the lowest 10.93% in 1970.

How does Kenya rank?

34th highest of 47 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in school enrollment, secondary, female (% gross) unusual for Kenya?

In 2023, Kenya's school enrollment, secondary, female (% gross) rose 1.32 percentage points on 2022 (from 83.43% to 84.75%). Across the 25 yearly changes before that (1971 to 2022), the average change was +1.56 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.88 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.SEC.ENRR.FE, 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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