Survey reveals dire state of Grade Six literacy skills

Nearly half of Grade Six learners in Kenya cannot read and comprehend a Grade Three-level English passage or solve numeracy problems at the same level, a new report by education advocacy group Usawa Agenda has found, raising serious concerns about the quality of basic education.
Grade Six marks the final year of primary education before transition to junior school under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, yet the findings suggest many learners are ill-prepared for the next stage. The report shows that 51.3 per cent of learners in public primary schools are unable to comprehend a Grade Three-level English passage, compared with 42.3 per cent in private schools.
“Literacy is the foundation of all learning. Without the ability to read, even numeracy becomes difficult because many questions are text-based,” said Usawa Agenda Executive Director Dr Emmanuel Manyasa during the release of the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Report (FLANA 2025).
The survey, conducted between June and July 2025 across all 47 counties, assessed 49,835 children aged between 10 and 15 years, both in and out of school, covering Grades Three to Nine. Overall, 43 per cent of Grade Six learners were unable to solve a Grade Three-level numeracy problem, with rural learners more affected than those in urban areas. For the first time, the assessment included learners in refugee camps, where 56 per cent of Grade Six pupils could not solve a Grade Three-level mathematics problem.
The report also highlights systemic challenges, including high learner-teacher ratios in public schools, low pay for teachers hired by boards of management, and poor sanitation infrastructure. On average, one water point serves 173 learners, while 47 girls share one toilet and 64 boys use a single latrine.
In response, the Ministry of Education is developing guidelines to strengthen foundational learning in pre-primary and lower primary grades. Institutions such as the Open University of Kenya (OUK) are also emerging as potential partners, leveraging open and digital learning to upskill teachers, support remedial literacy and numeracy programmes, and expand affordable training—particularly in rural, ASAL and refugee settings.
According to the report, national school enrolment stands at 94.2 per cent, though counties with the highest numbers of out-of-school children remain concentrated in arid and semi-arid regions, including Garissa, Mandera and Turkana.
State to increase primary school funding
The government has announced plans to increase funding for the Free Primary Education (FPE) programme starting in the 2026/2027 financial year to help schools cope with rising operational costs.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the per-pupil allocation will rise from Sh1,420 to Sh2,300 annually, in line with recommendations by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms. This marks the first review of the allocation since the FPE programme was introduced in 2003.
The working party noted that funding for primary schools has remained unchanged for years, failing to keep pace with inflation and the rising cost of instructional materials. While the increase applies only to primary schools, Mr Ogamba said funding for secondary education remains a priority. He reiterated the government’s commitment to disbursing the full Sh22,244 per learner for senior schools and Sh15,042 annually for junior school learners.
The Ministry of Education has faced persistent criticism over delayed and inadequate disbursement of funds, often forcing school heads to operate on credit. However, Mr Ogamba said the government is streamlining financing to ensure timely release of funds and is working towards a more sustainable funding model for basic education.
Parents, head teachers and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) welcomed the announcement, noting that the previous allocation was insufficient to cover basic utilities and learning materials. National Parents Association chairperson Silas Obuhatsa said the increase comes at a critical time, as schools grapple with rising enrolment, but expressed hope that funding would eventually rise to Sh6,000 per learner.
The additional funding is expected to support effective implementation of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, which requires more practical teaching and learning resources. Knut Deputy Secretary-General Hesbon Otieno termed the move long overdue, saying it would enable primary schools to better meet their budgets.