Primary education wasn’t free in 2002, nor was it free for the past 48 years in Kenya. In December of 2002, the opportunities for Kenya’s youth to attend school completely changed. Mwai Kibaki won Kenya’s multi-party presidential election, overthrowing Daniel arap Moi’s 24-year presidential run and his party’s 40-year rule over Kenya.

Among tackling Kenya’s problems with corruption and its tumbling economic situation, Kibaki made all primary education free until primary-eight, or the equivalent of the ninth grade in the United States. With basic fees dropped, only a school uniform is now required for a primary education.

At the beginning of the first free school term in January 2003, primary schools across the country were overwhelmed with new students. According to the Daily Nation, a Kenyan national newspaper, an estimated 1.5 million new students joined the other 6.3 million primary students who were already in school.

Egerton Primary School in Njoro, Kenya, a small town 110 miles northeast of the capital city of Nairobi, has also seen a massive overflow of students. Enrollment is up 52.5 percent for the school, and funding is down from the government. The primary-one class at Egerton Primary School is full — more than 100 students for two teachers in one classroom.

The Kenyan government estimates the national school system needs more than 60,000 teachers to make up for the influx of students.

This page contains a photo story on the difficulties of trying to teach and learn in the new, free educational system in Kenya.

Eric Rowley is a senior in journalism and mass communication. He has worked at the Daily for three years and is currently the photography editor. This summer, he spent five weeks in Kenya through the ISU study abroad program.

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