The Kenyan education sector is transitioning from the 8-4-4 system to the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) system.
This has led to parents worrying about which schools are best equipped with the facilities and staff to handle such a transition.
Most parents are faced with the dilemma of keeping their children in private schools or transferring them to public schools.
Research by Statista (2022) shows that the number of private primary schools in Kenya has risen steadily from 300 in 2002 to over 10,000 in 2022.
The rising number of private primary schools has been driven by an increased number of parents shunning public schools.
However, studies have recently shown various reasons why public primary schools remain a better choice for pupils.
Cost
In terms of cost, the government offers free primary education making public primary schools affordable. On the flip side, private schools charge significant school fees.
Further, an analysis of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam results showed no significant value for money in enrolling children in private schools.
In the 2022 KCPE results, many prestigious private schools were shocked when they performed dismally compared to their counterparts in the public system.
The dismal performance led to the Kenya Private Schools Association Chairman Charles Ochome refusing to give an overview of how the schools under the umbrella performed.
Kitengela International School in Kajiado County, for instance, lodged a formal complaint with Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) after none of the 170 candidates attained 400 marks.
“All our candidates have the results that are disputed by themselves, parents, and administration,” the school released a statement.
In 2020, public schools scooped 10 of the 15 top positions countrywide. In individual performance, only one student from a private school appeared among the top five best students then.
The data shows paying exorbitant school fees for your children is not a guarantee for top performance in exams. In the recent past, public schools have continued to perform better.
Neighbourhood and Availability
In most cases, public schools are located in the neighbourhood, making it easier for children to develop friendships with nearby classmates.
This is crucial for pupils to bond with their friends on and off school. It also offers parents a chance to interact with fellow parents and discuss their children's well-being and the school's state in general.
Parents take children to schools far away from their homes, in most cases involving private schools.
When kids break for holidays, they end up with no friends in their neighbourhoods from their school to interact with because it becomes a new environment altogether.
Diversity
Public schools, unlike private ones, mostly enrol children from the community around them.
Children attending public schools are more likely to be in classrooms with other children that don’t think, act or look exactly like them, creating a diverse classroom.
According to Public School Review journal (2022), pupils in public schools are more apt to be exposed to students from different cultures or income levels.
“The pupils learn to work with other students with mental and physical disabilities.”
“The diversity of the student body can be an important learning experience in itself for all of the children that attend the public school,” the journal educates.
Accommodation of special interests pupils
Public schools operate under funding and legal framework set by the government.
This enables public schools to accommodate pupils with special interests. There are private schools that accommodate special interests pupils but it is at the discretion of the school owner, unlike in public schools where it is a guarantee.
Accountability
Teachers in public schools are employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
The commission sets standards that all teachers must follow, ensuring a standardized and accountable teaching system.
Teachers in public schools also have a uniform performance contract known as Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD).
This type of accountability is not available in private schools, as the crafting of performance contracts is left to the discretion of the school owner or Board of Management.
