Free primary education policy and pupil school mobility in urban Kenya

Type Journal Article - International Journal of Educational Research
Title Free primary education policy and pupil school mobility in urban Kenya
Author(s)
Volume 49
Issue 6
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2010
Page numbers 173-183
URL http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0883035511000036
Abstract
This paper examines pupil school mobility in urban Kenya using African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) household survey data which contain information on pupil transfers between schools. The aim is to identify which school characteristics attract the greatest demand for incoming transfers. The analysis reveals that there are frequent transfers in the slums than in the non-slum settlements; that transfer are in favour of private schools; and that quality is the main motivation for the transfers. Quality schools are perceived to have good discipline and better teacher performance. Given these results, should the Kenya government recognise the ‘low cost’ schools found in the slums which serve nearly half of the pupils and devise mechanisms of funding them?

Highlights
► There is a high supply of schools in the slums with less than 10% of them being state schools. ► Pupil school mobility is high in the slums with high preference to private informal schools. ► The main reason for transfers to informal private schools is perceived high quality of education. ► There are more transfers among the least poor households as compared to the poorest. ► More pupils transfer to schools with feeding programs than those without.