TITLE: Struggling to read and write
BY: SAMUEL RASTO
At 9 years old, Achieng sits quietly at the back of her Grade 3 classroom in a rural public primary school.
When asked to read a short English passage aloud, she hesitates, struggling to pronounce simple words.
Though she has been enrolled in school since Grade 1, reading a full paragraph independently remains a challenge.
At 9 years old, Achieng sits quietly at the back of her Grade 3 classroom in a rural public primary school. When asked to read a short English passage aloud, she hesitates, struggling to pronounce simple words such as “cat,” “book,” “water,” “school,” “play,” and “teacher.”
According to the English teacher, Achieng should have learned to pronounce such basic words while in Grade One, when learners are introduced to letter sounds, simple word formation, and early reading skills. By Grade Three, learners are expected to read short passages more confidently and with basic understanding.
Give an example of words she is struggling to read….
When was she expected to learn such words? Grade 1, 2 or three? (According to the English teacher, she should have learnt to pronounce these words while in Grade One** something like that
Achieng’s story reflects growing concern among education stakeholders about the rising number of students unable to read, write, or perform basic arithmetic despite a steady rise in enrollment and completion rates in both primary and secondary schools.
Education experts warn that Grade 3 is a critical stage. By this level, learners are expected to transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” When this foundation is weak, it affects performance in all other subjects.
The extent of the problem is captured in a report by Usawa Agenda which revealed that three out of 10 Grade 6
The report titled Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment found basic reading and writing skills are improving, but mathematics performance remains largely stagnant.
“The national-level foundational literacy learning outcomes are improving, but numeracy learning outcomes are not,” the report stated.
It noted sharp inequalities in learning where arid and semi-arid land counties still host the highest number of out-of-school children, while learners in refugee community schools performed significantly below peers in public and private schools.
Some 1,527 primary schools were assessed and they had a combined population of 1,017,910 learners. They had 530,704 pupils in primary school, 340,691 in junior school and 146,515 in ECDE.
The learners were tested using Grade 3-level literacy and numeracy tasks, administered directly in households to include both in-school and out-of-school children.
Usawa Agenda executive director Emmanuel Manyasa said the assessment captures how home environment and school conditions influence learning during Kenya’s transition to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
“Underinvestment risks aborting the well-meaning educational transition with unimaginable consequences for many generations,” he warned.
The development now turns the spotlight on the quality of education in schools, even as the government continues to roll out major initiatives to improve learning outcomes. These include the implementation of free primary and day secondary education, the distribution of textbooks to achieve a one-to-one ratio for every learner and the school feeding program.
While the government has credited the free education programme with significantly increasing access to schooling, concerns are now emerging that improved enrollment has not necessarily translated into better learning outcomes. Achieng’s story reflects growing concern among education stakeholders about the rising number of students unable to read, write, or perform basic arithmetic despite a steady rise in enrollment and completion rates in both primary and secondary schools. Education experts warn that Grade 3 is a critical stage. By this level, learners are expected to transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” When this foundation is weak, it affects performance in all other subjects.
A study conducted by Uwezo, a regional education assessment initiative, has repeatedly highlighted this learning gap in East Africa. According to the report, “a significant proportion of children in Grade Three cannot read a simple Grade Two level English story or solve basic numeracy tasks expected at lower primary level.” The report further notes that many learners advance through the education system without mastering foundational literacy and numeracy skills. Researchers attribute this challenge to factors such as overcrowded classrooms, limited teacher support, language barriers in early learning, and irregular school attendance among children in vulnerable communities.
The development now turns the spotlight on the quality of education in schools, even as the government continues to roll out major initiatives to improve learning outcomes. These include the implementation of free primary and day secondary education, the distribution of textbooks to achieve a one-to-one ratio for every learner, and the school feeding program. While the government credits free education with expanding access, concerns remain that increased enrollment has not always translated into improved learning outcomes.
The initiatives have seen classes full of learners and steady attendance all year. Yet teachers say the real crisis lies not in access but in learning.
Education experts …. Talk to education experts on the above programs,
Ask why there is a significant increase in enrollment, but the quality seems to remain stagnant, if not declining.
Is the focus on enrollment and completion rates overshadowing the need to track actual learning outcomes?
Ask if the push for universal access to education stretched the system beyond its capacity to maintain quality learning?
Are current assessment systems effectively measuring whether students are actually acquiring foundational skills such as reading, writing, and basic arithmetic?
What reforms are necessary to ensure that access to education translates into meaningful learning?
You can talk to Emmanuel Manyasa, the Usawa Agenda executive director…. Sharing his contact.
Also talk to Janet Muthoni Ouko… educationist and former Education CEC Nairobi County.
Talk to two parents a male and female, ask them if they actively take part in their children’s school work.
Try to interrogate whether the lack of parental engagement could also be a contributing factor to the decline in reading and writing.
How often do you check or follow up on your child’s homework or school assignments?
Do you set aside time at home for your child to read or revise school work?
How comfortable are you helping your child with reading, writing, or mathematics homework?
Talk to the National Parents Assocition chairman Silas Obuhatsa
How actively are Kenyan parents involved in their children’s academic work today?
Is there evidence that limited parental involvement is affecting children’s reading and writing skills?
Why are concerns about students’ inability to read, write, and perform basic arithmetic emerging despite higher enrollment rates?
The initiatives have seen classrooms filled with learners and steady attendance throughout the year. Yet teachers say the real crisis lies not in access to school but in what learners are actually able to learn.
Education experts argue that while government programs such as free primary and day secondary education have successfully increased enrollment, the quality of learning has not kept pace. Emmanuel Manyasa, Executive Director of Usawa Agenda, says the education system must begin to shift its focus from access alone to measurable learning outcomes.
“Kenya has made impressive progress in getting children into school, but the real question is whether those children are acquiring the skills they need,” Manyasa says. “In many cases, learners are moving through the system without mastering foundational literacy and numeracy skills. When these basics are not secured in the early grades, it becomes difficult for learners to keep up in later classes.”
Manyasa notes that the push for universal access to education has placed significant pressure on schools, including overcrowded classrooms and limited teaching resources, which may affect the quality of instruction. He argues that education reforms must prioritize early grade learning and strengthen assessment systems to track whether children can read, write, and perform basic arithmetic at the expected levels.
Similarly, educationist and former Nairobi County Education CEC Janet Muthoni Ouko says that while enrollment and completion statistics are often used to measure progress in education, they do not always reflect the true state of learning in classrooms.
“We must go beyond counting how many children are in school,” she says. “The real measure of success should be whether a child in Grade Three can confidently read, write, and understand basic concepts. If that is not happening, then the system must rethink how teaching and learning are being delivered.”
Ouko adds that reforms should focus on strengthening teacher support, improving early grade literacy programs, and ensuring that assessment systems measure real learning rather than simply progression through grades.
Parents also play a critical role in shaping children’s learning outcomes. However, interviews with parents suggest that many struggle to consistently support their children’s school work at home. One parent, a father of two primary school learners, admits that while he values education, work commitments sometimes limit his ability to closely follow his children’s assignments.
“I ask them about school, but I cannot always check their homework every day,” he says. “Sometimes they finish their work at night when I am not around.”
A mother of a Grade Three learner says she tries to support her child’s studies but finds some schoolwork challenging. “I encourage my child to read, but sometimes the homework is difficult for me to help with, especially mathematics,” she says.
According to Silas Obuhatsa, chairman of the National Parents Association, parental involvement remains a key factor in improving learning outcomes.
“Parents must play an active role in their children’s education,” Obuhatsa says. “Checking homework, encouraging reading at home, and maintaining communication with teachers can make a significant difference in a child’s academic progress.”
He adds that while increased enrollment is a positive step, the emerging concerns about learners struggling with reading, writing, and arithmetic highlight the need for a shared responsibility among schools, government, and parents to ensure that children not only attend school but also gain the skills necessary for their future.
By Samuel Rasto
