School Closures and Disruption
On March 15, 2020, the Kenyan government closed all schools and colleges, affecting nearly 17 million learners.
Closures disrupted learning, increased education exclusion, worsened nutrition and economic crises, and led to teenage pregnancies and child sexual exploitation, particularly among underprivileged urban children.
Inequality and Remote Learning
Remote learning was introduced but most learners were excluded due to lack of internet, electricity, and digital devices.
Parents in low-income households struggled to pay for learning materials and internet bundles, further widening inequality.
Smartphones and computers were scarce; internet costs were high, limiting access for marginalized communities.
Learning Losses
Interrupted online learning disengaged students, especially those with learning difficulties or whose parents had low literacy levels.
Parents often lacked the capacity to support home learning, leaving children at risk of falling behind academically.
Remote learning could not fully replace classroom instruction, as it was meant to supplement existing knowledge.
Nutrition and Welfare Challenges
School feeding programs, critical for vulnerable children, were disrupted.
Families faced difficulty providing food due to job losses and reduced income, forcing some children into income-generating activities instead of learning.
This increased the risk of early pregnancies and sexual exploitation, further disrupting education.
Infrastructure and Policy Gaps
Lack of well-defined online learning infrastructure and teacher training hindered effective remote education.
A 24.6 billion KES laptop project was partially implemented, but some schools lacked expertise to use the devices effectively.
Marginalized areas remained largely excluded from digital learning opportunities.
Policy Recommendations
Ensure quality, equitable, and inclusive education as per Article 53 of the Constitution.
Develop practical policies to include all learners, especially marginalized groups.
Integrate digital learning into national education strategies to sustain education during and post-pandemic.
Key Takeaways
COVID-19 deepened learning losses and inequality in Kenyan schools.
Marginalized and low-income children were disproportionately affected.
Urgent government intervention is needed in policy, infrastructure, and digital inclusion to recover lost learning.