The Government of Kenya has announced plans to merge secondary schools with low student enrollment as part of a broader strategy to improve efficiency and strengthen the country’s education system.
Speaking during a public event on Saturday, March 15, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok revealed that the Ministry of Education is currently reviewing several schools across the country that have recorded very low numbers of learners.
According to Bitok, the move will allow the government to reorganize resources, expand capacity in schools with high enrollment, and convert underutilized institutions into facilities that better serve communities.
Government Targets Underutilized Schools
Bitok noted that some secondary schools have extremely low student numbers, making it difficult to justify continued investment in infrastructure, staffing, and operational costs.
He explained that the government is considering merging such schools with nearby institutions that have higher enrollment.
“We must rethink what to do with most of the small schools. It may involve converting them to other useful facilities while ensuring we expand capacity in stronger schools so that learners have access to quality education,” Bitok said.
The Principal Secretary added that the Ministry will channel more resources into schools with higher student populations to improve learning environments.
Expansion of High-Enrollment Schools
Under the proposed plan, schools that currently admit large numbers of students will receive additional support from the government.
This includes the construction of more classrooms, laboratories, and dormitories to accommodate learners who may be transferred from schools with very low enrollment.
Bitok emphasized that the ultimate goal is to ensure that students across the country can access well-equipped institutions with adequate facilities and enough teachers.
“We will ensure we pour more resources into the education system so that schools have better laboratories, sufficient dormitories, and adequate teaching staff,” he stated.
Education officials believe this approach will improve learning outcomes by concentrating resources in institutions capable of delivering quality education.
Crisis in Senior School Transition
The announcement comes amid challenges experienced earlier this year during the transition of learners to Grade 10 under the Competency-Based Curriculum.
Several schools across Kenya reopened to receive learners transitioning to senior school but found classrooms largely empty.
Some institutions reportedly recorded extremely low numbers of students, while others received none at all.
The situation was particularly severe in Category Four schools, previously known as sub-county schools.
Many of these institutions struggled to attract students after the new placement system was introduced.
Headteachers Raise Concerns
Headteachers from affected schools have blamed the low enrollment on the new placement system used during the transition to senior school.
According to them, many learners assigned to the schools were coming from distant areas, making it difficult for parents to send their children there.
School administrators also pointed to the transfer window opened by the government, which allowed students to request changes to their assigned schools.
They say the review and transfer process created confusion and significantly reduced the number of students reporting to some institutions.
Overcrowding in Top Schools
While some schools recorded extremely low enrollment, others experienced the opposite problem.
Top-tier institutions reportedly received more students than their available capacity.
In some cases, parents were forced to return home with their children despite having official placement letters because schools had already exceeded their admission limits.
This imbalance has highlighted deep challenges in the current placement system.
Education experts argue that merging smaller schools and strengthening larger ones may help address these disparities.
Tackling Ghost Schools
The issue of low-enrollment schools is not entirely new.
In October last year, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba raised concerns about so-called “ghost schools” in the country.
Ogamba said some institutions were receiving government funds despite having extremely low student populations.
“We are doing something about the number of ghost schools in the country. Some schools have less than 10 students,” he said at the time.
The CS argued that merging such schools would improve transparency in the distribution of government capitation funds.
Improving Capitation Transparency
Government capitation funding is distributed to schools based on the number of students enrolled.
When schools have very small student populations but still receive operational funds, it can lead to inefficiencies in the system.
By consolidating institutions with low enrollment, the government hopes to ensure that funds are directed to schools that actually serve large numbers of learners.
Officials believe this will also reduce administrative costs and improve accountability in the education sector.
Uncertainty Over Implementation Timeline
Despite the announcement, the Ministry of Education has not yet provided a specific timeline for when the school mergers will begin.
Bitok also did not reveal exactly how many schools will be affected or what some of the underutilized institutions will be converted into.
However, education stakeholders expect consultations with county governments, school boards, and communities before the policy is fully implemented.
Mixed Reactions From Education Stakeholders
The proposal has already sparked debate among education stakeholders.
Some education experts support the plan, arguing that it will improve the quality of education by concentrating resources in fewer but better-equipped schools.
Others, however, warn that merging schools could negatively affect learners in remote areas who rely on nearby institutions.
Parents in rural communities fear that their children may be forced to travel longer distances to attend school if smaller institutions are closed or merged.
The Future of Kenya’s Secondary Schools
As the government continues reviewing the situation, the plan to merge schools with low enrollment is expected to play a key role in shaping the future of secondary education in Kenya.
Education officials insist that the reforms are necessary to ensure that learners benefit from modern facilities, adequate teachers, and improved learning environments.
With the continued rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum, the government says it must restructure the education system to match the new demands of senior school education.
More details about the merger plan are expected in the coming months as the Ministry finalizes its review of schools across the country.