The impact of distance to school on primary school enrolment in Samburu County, Kenya

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of distance to school on primary school enrolment in Samburu County, Kenya. The need for the study arose from the fact that even while education is a fundamental human right and a necessary condition for empowerment, it is still not widely available to pastoralists who live on the move. Notwithstanding, Kenya has made formal education a priority in her policies. However, despite primary schools’ Gross Enrolment Rates in Kenya reaching 95 per cent, in some nomadic pastoral areas like Samburu, it was 41.3 per cent. The study findings reveal that a facility-specific factor, such as distance, is the main factor affecting access to basic formal education in Samburu district and, by implication, other nomadic pastoral areas. The results of the study revealed that the association between distance to the nearest school and access to basic formal education was very strong, as indicated by the value of the contingency coefficient (0.76), and was very significant statistically. This implies that the deliberate provision of more schools closer to the people and/or promotion of alternative education opportunities in the district is likely to increase access to basic formal education. This is due to the fact that the households will be living in close proximity to education facilities, thus enhancing their utilisation. Consequently, the enrolment rate of children will be boosted, thus improving access to basic formal education. As a result, the study recommends that more schools be made available in nomadic pastoral areas and that other alternative forms of education be promoted.