NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 26 – Members of the National Assembly have passed the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2025, paving the way for the formal recognition of Alternative Provision for Basic Education and Training (APBET) institutions and potentially opening access to public funding for thousands of learners in informal schools.
The Bill, sponsored by Mathare MP Anthony Oluoch, seeks to bring APBET institutions into Kenya’s basic education framework and address gaps affecting children who rely on non-formal schools, particularly in informal settlements and marginalised communities.
Moving the Bill during Second Reading, Oluoch said the proposed reforms would strengthen the implementation of constitutional guarantees on equality, human dignity and the right to education under Articles 10, 27, 43 and 53 of the Constitution.
Kibra MP Peter Orero said APBET institutions play a major role in educating children in informal settlements, where their numbers far exceed those of public schools.
“In Kibra, there are about 300 of these schools, while public primary schools are only 11. Many students therefore end up in APBET schools,” Orero said.
He urged Parliament to support the legislation, saying formal recognition would enable children in informal settlements to benefit from government support.
“This is an opportunity to ensure that children in informal settlements can access education and that resources trickle down to them through recognition of their schools,” he said.
Seme MP James Nyikal said the lack of formal recognition had created a significant funding gap, leaving vulnerable learners without adequate public support.
“Education is a basic right in our Constitution, yet the current system does not adequately recognise APBET. In some areas, there are more children in these schools than in formal institutions, yet they are excluded from funding,” Nyikal said.
If enacted, the proposed law would include APBET institutions in the definition of basic education institutions and provide for their representation in national and county education structures.
It would also facilitate funding for infrastructure and learning materials, potentially increasing public investment in schools serving children in informal settlements.
The Bill further proposes that county governments maintain a database of APBET institutions and introduces flexibility in registration requirements.
The measures are intended to give the government a clearer understanding of the number and location of APBET institutions and the learners they serve, while strengthening oversight of the schools.
Ruraka MP Moses Kajwang supported the reforms, describing the formal recognition of APBET institutions as long overdue.
“It is unfortunate that it has taken this long to recognise vulnerable children in informal settlements and rural areas who lack access to education,” Kajwang said.
The passage of the Bill marks a significant step towards mainstreaming APBET institutions within Kenya’s education system.
If the proposed law comes into force, the schools would gain greater visibility and regulatory recognition, while potentially becoming eligible for increased government support for infrastructure, learning materials and other educational needs.
The reforms are expected to have a direct impact on thousands of learners who depend on informal schools for access to basic education.
