Primary schools in Kenya: some critical constraints on their effectiveness

This paper focuses on the CPE examination and the effect that it has had on primary school teaching and the students within the schools. The paper is divided into five sections. After the introduction, the second section considers the nature of the CPE and its effect on teaching both examinable and non-examinable subjects in the upper primary school. The third section examines the repeater phenomenon and describes the various methods of repealing. The fourth section considers some of the effects of the presence of repeaters within both the primary and secondary school systems, as well as the CPE as a method for selecting students for secondary school. The final section makes recommendations concerning (a) reform of the CPE (b) reformed CPE and repeaters, (c) administrative reform and repeaters, (d) the need for a general policy on repeaters, and (e) policy towards primary school teachers. The evidence is drawn mainly from Rift Valley Province.