Mt Kenya Schools on the Brink: Declining Enrolment Leaves Institutions Deserted.
The education sector in Mt Kenya is grappling with a crisis as schools struggle with dwindling student numbers, leaving once-thriving institutions nearly abandoned.
Despite having well-equipped classrooms and teaching staff, many secondary schools are operating with just a handful of students, raising concerns about the future of education in the region. While urban schools remain stable, rural institutions are steadily losing learners, forcing some to close entirely.
Kanjora Secondary School in Nyeri County now has a population of just five Form Three students. Once a bustling institution with over 200 students, the decline has been drastic, with only three learners present on a typical day.
Across the compound, empty chairs and dusty lockers tell a story of neglect. A newly built administration block, funded by the Tetu National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) in 2020, gleams in solitude, a stark contrast to the lack of students.
This trend is mirrored across the Mt Kenya region, where several sub-county schools struggle with enrolment. Despite being staffed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), these institutions have turned into ghost schools, with teachers left idle or failing to show up altogether. In some cases, entire schools have shut down.
Schools with More Teachers Than Students
Mugwandi Mixed Day Secondary School in Kirinyaga recently gained attention for having just one Form Two student and eight teachers. The institution has since been closed indefinitely, its teachers reassigned, and the lone student transferred to another school.
Kanjora Secondary School Principal Michael Thimba revealed that five teachers oversee five students, all in Form Three. Last year, 10 candidates sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.
After their departure, only the current Form Three class remained. Thimba attributed the drop in numbers to students leaving school to work on tea and coffee farms. This occurs despite nearby primary schools maintaining high enrolment, with Kagonye Primary School having 400 pupils and Ihururu Primary School over 500.
Gakere Secondary School reflects a similar reality, with a total enrolment of 55 students. Principal Samuel Kiragu recalled that last year’s Form One admission allocated just four students, all from outside the county.
The school, being a day institution, was unable to admit them. To counter the decline, an aggressive marketing campaign convinced local parents to enroll their children, bringing the current Form Two class to 25 students.
Population Decline and Migration to Blame
The enrolment crisis stretches beyond Nyeri. Othaya Sub-county is witnessing a similar struggle, with seven secondary schools facing critically low numbers.
Kairuthi Secondary School, a sub-county boarding institution, will have no KCSE candidates this year after its last student transferred. Kihome Secondary School, once a triple-stream institution, has now shrunk to a single stream per class, with a student population of only 124.
A TSC official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that Nyeri County is the most affected in Central Kenya. Unlike Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, and Nyandarua, Nyeri’s shrinking population has significantly impacted school enrolment.
The official linked this crisis to low Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) enrolment, which has trickled down to primary and, subsequently, secondary schools.
Economic shifts have also played a role. Once an agricultural powerhouse, Nyeri has evolved into a business hub, prompting many residents to migrate elsewhere.
The official noted that urban day schools continue to thrive, serving children of business workers, while rural institutions struggle.
Kirinyaga and Nyandarua, still rooted in farming, maintain high enrolment, while Kiambu benefits from its proximity to Nairobi, drawing families from outside the county.
Schools With No Students
Tharaka Nithi County is facing an equally dire situation, with some schools entirely devoid of students. Nyagakairu Primary School in Rubate, Chuka/Igambang’ombe, has seven teachers reporting to work daily, despite having no learners. Once home to over 350 pupils, enrolment has dwindled to near zero over the past four years.
A visit to the school paints a grim picture—overgrown grass, abandoned classrooms, and a signboard nearly concealed by bushes. Only three pre-primary children remain, while teachers, initially lounging in the sun, scattered upon spotting journalists. Others, unbothered, continued hurling stones at a mango tree in search of ripe fruit.
Residents attribute the decline to poor management and government inaction. Ms. Karegi, a local, pointed to the absence of a junior secondary school, which has driven parents to enroll their children elsewhere. However, a Ministry of Education official, speaking anonymously, blamed the issue on population decline, stating that the area has too many schools for its small population.
According to ministry regulations, a school must have at least 10 learners to be operational. The official acknowledged that closures might be inevitable if stakeholders fail to attract students. The ministry’s focus, they said, is on protecting public resources rather than sustaining schools with negligible enrolment.
Future of Rural Schools Uncertain
Tharaka Nithi County Director of Education, Brigit Wambua, confirmed that most learners had transferred from Nyagakairu Primary School. Several schools in the region now struggle with low enrolment, including Kandega Primary (17 students), Kiegoti (14), Kamatanga (12), Iruri (19), and Kariani (10). Ntharuni Secondary School in Chiakariga currently has no students at all.
Wambua attributed the problem to an overdevelopment of schools, explaining that too many small institutions have been established close together.
While the Ministry of Education can safeguard public resources, sustaining under-enrolled schools is financially impractical. Teacher deployment remains under the jurisdiction of the Teachers Service Commission.
In Nyeri, an education official linked the crisis to larger schools absorbing most learners, leaving sub-county secondary schools struggling. Last year, national and extra-county schools admitted double or even triple their usual numbers in anticipation of a lower Form One intake, which severely impacted smaller institutions.
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Moses Wanjiku, Executive Secretary of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) in Nyeri, pointed to a lack of community support and uneven student distribution as key issues.
Some schools admitted overwhelming numbers last year, while others remained nearly empty. Many students who would have enrolled in sub-county schools instead joined county and extra-county institutions.
With enrolment numbers dwindling and rural institutions on the brink of closure, the fate of many Mt Kenya schools remains uncertain. Without urgent intervention, these schools may soon become nothing more than deserted structures scattered across the countryside.
Mt Kenya Schools on the Brink: Declining Enrolment Leaves Institutions Deserted
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