Kenyan school system

In Kenya, the education system follows the so-called 2-6-6-3 model, which gradually replaced the former 8-4-4 system in 2017. It is divided into three main sections, with a total of about 17 years of care for young people in the regular system:

📘 1. Early Years Education (EYE) – 2 years

  • Age: approx. 4–5 years
  • Pre-Primary 1 (PP1) and Pre-Primary 2 (PP2)
  • Preparation for primary school

📗 2. Primary Education (Grades 1–6) – 6 years

  • Age: 6–11 years
  • Focus on fundamentals in language, mathematics, environment, life skills

📙 3rd Junior Secondary School (Grades 7–9) – 3 years

  • Age: 12–14 years
  • New phase in the CBC system (Competency-Based Curriculum)
  • Greater subject specialisation, including practical subjects

📕 4. Senior Secondary School (Grades 10–12) – 3 years

  • Ages: 15–17 years
  • Specialisation in subjects such as technology, social sciences, and science

🎓 5. Tertiary education (optional) – 3+ years

  • Universities, colleges or technical institutes
  • No fixed graduation period (depending on the course of study/apprenticeship)

To summarise:

  • Compulsory education: approx. 12 years (primary school + junior secondary)
  • Total duration (incl. pre-school & senior secondary): 17 years
  • After that: option of college, vocational training or university
Graphic representation of the Kenyan school system