country profile

Kenya

Sub-Saharan AfricaLower middle income56.43M population

Last updated May 3, 2026

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Composite GEFRI Score

Severely underprepared

Kenya shows severely limited readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of education in a rapidly changing world (26th percentile worldwide). Key structural conditions limit capacity to plan, implement, and sustain forward-looking reforms. Higher scores indicate a system that is better prepared to anticipate and shape the future of learning.

33.02Composite score
Global percentile
26th
Global rank
#133
Regional rank
#12
Viewing data for
Infrastructure
42.54
26th percentileGlobal avg. 54.77
Human Capital
35.93
25th percentileGlobal avg. 47.01
Innovation
44.73
54th percentileGlobal avg. 45.21
Governance
41.88
42nd percentileGlobal avg. 47.75
Access & Parity
0.00
8th percentileGlobal avg. 49.65

Country profile

Kenya trails global peers in Infrastructure (43, 26th percentile), Human Capital (36, 25th percentile), GEFRI Composite (33, 26th percentile), and School Access and Gender Parity (0, 8th percentile). A coordinated reform effort is needed to strengthen education futures readiness.

Uneven scores across dimensions highlight areas that need targeted coordination. Limited electricity or internet coverage still constrains classrooms, preventing large-scale digital instruction. Literacy or tertiary enrollment gaps thin the talent pipeline and limit the country’s capacity to develop future-ready skills.

Sparse R&D investment and a small research workforce slow experimentation and delay new ideas from reaching learners. Policy execution and regulatory capacity remain weak, leaving reforms fragmented and hard to sustain. Gender parity across secondary pathways reflects sustained commitment to equitable participation.

Innovation and Governance present a near-term leapfrog opportunity: performance is just below the global average, backed by enough observed data to support forward planning. Regionally, School Access and Gender Parity lags peers the most, signalling where investment could have the highest impact.

Note: Several indicators use imputed values. Policymakers and planners should validate results further before committing to major initiatives.

Key insights

  • Falls below many peers at the 26th percentile.
  • Places 133rd worldwide.
  • Holds a regional position of 12th within Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Scores range from Innovation (44.7) to Access & Parity (0.0), reflecting variation across dimensions.
  • Trails regional peers most clearly in Access & Parity.

Regional peers: Sub-Saharan Africa

Composite GEFRI Score

Global rankRegional rankCountryScore
681South Africa57.33
742Mauritius56.48
SeychellesMicrostate55.12
803Botswana54.11
1024Ghana47.72
1085Namibia44.24
1136Cabo Verde40.09
1177Eswatini38.07
1248Senegal35.40
1259Equatorial Guinea35.01
12610Gabon34.48
12911Rwanda33.75
13312Kenya33.02
13413Gambia, The32.24
13514Cote d'Ivoire32.18
Sao Tome and PrincipeFCSMicrostate31.75
14015Lesotho31.04
14116Benin29.70
14217ZimbabweFCS29.57
14418Togo29.28
14519Tanzania29.23
14620CameroonFCS28.46
14721Zambia27.96
14822Mauritania27.82
15023Angola26.39
15224ComorosFCS25.64
15325Congo, Rep.FCS25.59
15526MozambiqueFCS25.26
15627EthiopiaFCS25.24
15728Uganda24.82
15829NigeriaFCS24.64
15930Sierra Leone24.58
16031Madagascar24.32
16132Burkina FasoFCS23.86
16233MaliFCS23.71
16334Malawi23.40
16435Guinea22.78
16636Liberia22.50
16737NigerFCS20.78
16838SudanFCS20.28
16939Guinea-BissauFCS19.28
17645Somalia, Fed. Rep.FCS19.26
17141BurundiFCS18.78
17242EritreaFCS18.78
17443Congo, Dem. Rep.FCS17.87
17544ChadFCS16.32
17645SomaliaFCS15.80
17746South SudanFCS15.44
17847Central African RepublicFCS14.57