Access to quality education is key to personal and national development. When one examines Sudan and Kenya, however, there is a stark contrast in the way people access schooling. This brings us to inquire, why does access to education in Kenya and Sudan differ? A combination of historical, economic, political, cultural, and infrastructural reasons seems to explain this.
In this article, we discuss each of these factors in depth along with the data and context of the countries, including what each country is doing to address the education deficit.
Kenya and Sudan’s Historical Narrative and Colonial Impact
Access to education is clearly different in Kenya and Sudan due to their differing colonial pasts.
- Kenya’s colonization by the British came with the benefit of a formal education infrastructure being developed to nurture a local workforce.
Although education was ethnically biased, it was expansionary in nature and facilitated education access for a larger population in the country after independence. - Sudan, under British-Egyptian rule, did not benefit from the investment of a schooling infrastructure.
Education, particularly secular education, was largely restricted to urban areas with a significant focus on religious schooling and was absent in the rural regions.
The consequences of differing colonial policies concerning education have resulted in persisting inequalities in literacy rates and the availability of educational facilities.
Government Initiatives and Educational Structures
Kenya’s Educational System
Kenya is one of the countries in the region that is actively working towards achieving universal primary education, especially with the introduction of the Free Primary Education policy (FPE) in 2003 and the subsequent Free Day Secondary Education policy in 2008. Both policies significantly improved enrollment rates and eased enrollment for financially constrained families.
Sudan’s Educational System
Sudan’s education system, on the other hand, has been deeply shaped by decades of political volatility and changing government priorities. While the country does have policies in place supporting the provision of free education, the available funding as a result of armed conflict and economic turmoil is too limited to fully realize these policies in practice.
Educational Access
Political conflict and violence has been a determining factor in the accessibility of education.
- Despite occasional political upheaval, Kenya has provided and sustained a largely stable governance system.
This enables sustained investment in education, providing funding for teacher and educational material for improved teaching and curriculum revisions. - In contrast, Sudan has faced unending civil wars, ethnic violence, and shifts in government rule.
There is a significant lack of educational infrastructure as a result of widespread violence, especially in rural and conflict-affected areas, as numerous schools have been destroyed or repurposed—and children are unable to attend school.
UNESCO reports that conflict-affected regions in Sudan have the lowest school enrollment rates globally.
Economic Factors and Poverty Levels
The condition of poverty impacts school attendance and completion.
- Compared to Sudan, Kenya has a more diversified economy and higher GDP growth, which enables more public spending on education, even though families incur costs for uniforms, books, and transportation.
- Families in Sudan had already been under strain due to unstable economic conditions worsened by the 2011 secession of South Sudan and the resulting loss of oil revenues. Facing high inflation and unemployment, families struggle to even afford basic schooling supplies.
The education of children is often deferred when families have to decide whether to send children to school or work.
Infrastructure and Resources
Schools, teachers, and educational materials determain the access to education.
- While disparities between urban and rural Kenya persist, the government and NGOs have made significant strides in constructing classrooms, hiring teachers, and supplying textbooks. Even primary school has begun to implement digital literacy initiatives.
- A significant portion of rural Sudanese communities are still lacking proper classrooms and due to a lack of teachers, classes are often held in substandard conditions like under trees or in makeshift shelters.
Many schools struggle to find teachers, with a few educators responsible for hundreds of students.
Gender Disparities in Education
Gender inequality greatly impacts the differences in access to education in Sudan and Kenya.
- Kenya, for its part, has advanced greatly in promoting girls’ education through awareness campaigns, scholarship opportunities, and through legislation prohibiting early marriages. Female literacy and enrollment continues to improve.
- Sudan faces greater challenges in this area. Culturally, there are norms in some areas that discourage girls from pursuing secondary education or higher. Early marriages, child labor, and household duties greatly limit girls’ school attendance.
UNICEF has reported that in some areas of Sudan, fewer than 50\% of girls complete primary education.
Language and Curriculum
Language policy impacts access to education.
- Officially, Kenya recognizes English and Kiswahili, and both serve as languages of instruction. This creates an advantage for Kenya’s international competitiveness. However, it poses challenges for learners who do not speak these languages. Nonetheless, mother-tongue teaching is used in the early grades.
- Sudan has public schools that use Arabic as the primary language of instruction. However, in some areas, children are exposed to local dialects as their languages, which creates an education barrier.
The absence of a coherent multilingual education policy impacts students’ understanding and retention of information.
International Aid and NGO Involvement
Support from abroad can help mitigate the inadequacies of a country’s education budget.
- UNICEF, UNESCO, and the World Bank have made significant investments in Kenya, facilitating the educational focus of teacher training, infrastructure, and special needs education.
- Other nations, such as Sudan, face a multitude of governance and conflict challenges, which in turn delays the execution of aid projects. Numerous regions are still cut off from humanitarian access, resulting in formal schooling for thousands of children being nearly impossible.
Technological Integration
The digital divide is another factor.
- With the implementation of the Digital Literacy Programme, the Kenyan government has made great strides in the use of technology in education, by providing tablets in primary schools.
- The lack of internet and digital devices due to infrastructure in Sudan, especially during crises like the COVID pandemic, severely widens the educational gap.
Pathways Toward Improvement
Both nations have made strides in addressing the educational gap.
- The Kenyan government is focused on increasing the availability of secondary and tertiary education, vocational training, and technology.
- Sudan has made efforts to partner with international organizations to restore schools, train teachers, and promote education at the community level.
Despite differing in the pace of advancement, both nations have shown a commitment to educational restructuring.
Conclusion
Why Does Access to Education in Kenya and Sudan Differ? The answer is shaped by history, governance, available resources, infrastructure, cultural views, and political climate. Kenya has been able to extend access to education more rapidly due to its relative calm, consistent policies, external support, and sustained peace.
The enduring conflicts, poverty, and inadequate infrastructure in Sudan continue to slow progress, although there is some reason to believe that reforms and aid are making a difference.
Policymakers, NGOs, and communities are better positioned to plan more effective strategies to ensure that every child in Kenya and Sudan has the ability to access education, learns, and grows to contribute to the future of their nation when they understand the underlying issues.
FAQ Section
1. Why does access to education in Kenya and Sudan differ?
Because of differences in history, politics, economy, and infrastructure.
2. Which country has better access to education, Kenya or Sudan?
Kenya generally has better access and higher enrollment rates.
3. How do economic conditions affect education in Kenya and Sudan?
A stronger economy funds more schools; weak economies limit resources.
4. What role does gender inequality play in education access?
It affects Sudan more, limiting girls’ schooling compared to Kenya.
5. How can Sudan improve its education system?
By building schools, training teachers, and ensuring some stability.