Mutuku, M: Early Language Experiences and School Success

Most Kenyan parents continue to place a high value on education for both boys and girls, believing that education will increase economic opportunities for their children as well as enable them to better serve and build their communities. But despite new opportunities created by the changing political climate and subsequent changes in educational policies, many challenges still exist, particularly for families living in rural areas. The achievement gap between urban and rural children is evident in the score reports from the primary school exit exam . Communities are largely responsible for providing facilities, operational expenses, teaching equipment, teaching and learning materials, and numerous indirect expenses such as uniforms, transportation, and meals. Given the poverty rates among rural Kenyan families, making the most of the new educational opportunities has been impeded by lack of economic opportunity, community infrastructure, and human resources. Additional obstacles are rooted in changes in family structure, the impact of HIV/AIDS on the Kenyan population, and the increasing number of parents working in urban areas farther away from their children.