Costs of Education for Village of Love Children

An interesting movie is “The First Grader,” based on the true story of Kimani Maruge, a Kenyan illiterate farmer and the world’s oldest person to enroll in primary school, who joined Kapkenduiywo primary school in Eldoret at the age of 84. He was elected head boy at the age of 86 in 2005. In the movie, when he first comes to school, he is sent home, not because of his age, but because he does not have a school uniform!PRIMARY EDUCATION: There are currently 75 children in the Village of Love  cooperative. Most of them are attending government run primary schools where there are no school fees required (see below). Some are not able to do even this, because they lack money for school uniforms, desks, supplies, lunches, and transportation. 

When a child has no uniform or school supplies, they are sent home.

To enable ALL the primary children currently enrolled in government “free” schools to be able to attend regularly, between $5,000 and $6,000 is needed a year.

$10 a month will provide school supplies, desk, lunches, uniform and transport for one primary school child enrolled in a government “free” school.

Village of Love will give children the chance to attend Primary school regularly through providing small business micro-loans to caregivers. Already we can see how the application of microloans has born fruit!  Click HERE. In time, we expect microloans will enable families to provide their children with not only food but also school supplies.

The cost of a micro-loan for one family business is $150.

SECONDARY EDUCATION: Eight children have qualified for Secondary School and are waiting for the fees to become available so that they can enroll in 2013.

Approximately $750 is needed annually for each child for 4 years.

$60 a month will provide school fees for one Secondary School child.

The DONATE button below will open a secure page on our partner CAP/AIDS website, where you will have the option of designating your funds to go towards education.

Sponsor a child to go to school. Give a child a chance at life! Invest in a child’s future today!

School Costs In Kenya

In 2003, Kenya reintroduced free education. But is it really free……?

Education is one of the highest values in Kenyan society. Parents encourage their children to stay in school and get the best education that they can.  Parents in the Village of Love  are no different. However, the challenges they face are huge!

Classrooms in government “free” schools are very over crowded. Public Elementary Schools

In these schools tuition is free, BUT a child needs to pay for a school uniform, a desk, school supplies, books and lunch. These added expenses mean that many children cannot attend school. When “free” schooling was announced, the numbers attending the public schools increased dramatically, overwhelming the system. The public schools are understaffed and often very overcrowded, having up to seventy children in a classroom at a time!

Children in poor families, such as those in the “Village of Love,”  tend to have a very intermittent education. When the children do not have a uniform, books or school supplies, or in fee-paying schools, when they do not pay their fees on time, they are sent home.

Supplies and uniform for a year currently cost around $75. There is, however, a reported increase in the costs of all commodities.

Private Schools

Many parents opt for private schools that offer a higher quality education. These are mostly run by faith based organisations, individuals and private organisations. Fees are required, the amount depending on the quality of education supplied. Some of these schools do offer some free places for orphaned children. There is currently an expectation that higher fees will be announced very soon.

Increased fees are expected to range from $250 to $500 per year.

High Schools

There are National, Provincial and District Schools. For students to be promoted to High School they write mandatory class eight examinations and are admitted to one of the schools depending on the grades they have attained.

The new fees for District Schools is expected to range from $550 to $750, which includes boarding, meals and tuition.

Very high marks are required to gain admission to either Provincial or National Schools. A National School requires straight A’s, and Provincial Schools require slightly lower marks. The fees for these schools range from $750 to $900 per annum. These High Schools are all boarding schools. There are a number of day schools, but they have many disadvantages, such as the time wasted in travelling, lack of studying facilities at home and lack of food.

Sponsor a child to go to school. Give a child a chance at life! Invest in a child’s future today!

For more information on the education system in Kenya click HERE