More Cows than Pupils? Why Rural Kenyan Schools Are Closing

Sun Sep 06 2026 20:10:09 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Find out why Kenya’s rural schools are shutting down, what the new curriculum means, and how kids are walking miles for a classroom.

In southern Kenya’s Kaliluni Primary School, the buzz of 200 children has vanished, leaving only five students and one teacher. The national shift to Competency‑Based Education (CBE) demands extra rooms, labs and specialist teachers—resources the village schools lack. As enrolment plummets, families send children to distant schools, often walking up to 3 km on rough roads. The government plans to merge or close many schools, but experts warn that this could overburden the remaining institutions and widen inequality.

More Cows than Pupils: Kenya’s Rural Schools Are Closing

At Kaliluni Primary in Kitui County, open classroom doors now aren’t filled with kids but with grazing cows.

Three years ago it packed over 200 students. Today only five remain, and the single teacher has left. The change to Kenya’s new Competency‑Based Education (CBE) urges schools to offer science labs and practical lessons, but many rural schools lack rooms, labs and specialist teachers.

Families are sending children to schools up to 3 km away because the local school can’t meet the new standards. That means longer, rough‑road walks and a heavier load on already crowded schools.

Education Minister Julius Ogamba says at least 2,145 primary schools could be merged or closed when enrolment drops below 45 students. Experts warn this will push more students into overcrowded classrooms, risking safety and learning quality.

“CBE is a good curriculum, but we’re failing in its implementation,” says Dr Emmanuel Manyasa, a researcher in rural education. He urges better planning for costs and teacher distribution before more schools close.

For now, children like 12‑year‑old Maureen Mwisiwa walk an hour to study, far from the noisy, calorie‑rich playground of her former primary school. Her case illustrates the complex link between curriculum reforms and the everyday realities of rural Kenyan communities.

-- BBC Africa – BBCAfrica.com for more African news.