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Explore our work with partners, globally and locally, to tackle social and economic injustice using a human rights lens.
We Joined Partners to Convene the First National Conference on the Impact of Privatisation of Education in Kenya
On 12 November, we participated in the First National Conference on Privatisation of Education in Nairobi, Kenya. Organised by the East African Center for Human Rights (EACHRights), in collaboration with Oxfam, Action Aid, Public Education and Human Rights Coalition (PEHRC), and the Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI) Africa, amongst other key partners.
Held under the theme “Privatisation of Education: A Threat or an Opportunity to Equity and Inclusive Quality Education for All“, the conference brought together over 80 participants to address the critical impacts of education privatisation on equity, inclusivity, and human rights. The event convened a diverse group of stakeholders, including government officials, Civil Society Organisation (CSOs), teachers, students, learners, labour unions, parents, youth, media representatives, and advocates for Special Needs Education (SNE).
Our Associate Programme Officer-Africa, Roselyne Onyango, participated in the conference and moderated a session that amplified learners' voices, a powerful reminder that behind every policy gap is a child whose right to education hangs in the balance. Their experiences challenged the room to rethink what quality inclusive public education truly means, and what it would take to ensure that no learner is left behind.
Participants also examined how political priorities, weak regulation, and public-private partnerships are enabling profit-driven actors to shape education policy. The discussion repeatedly returned to a central concern: despite the Kenyan government surpassing international benchmarks in education budget allocation, the public education system remains chronically underfunded. This is because, to many parents, the Free Education Programme is not a lived reality, thus leaving marginalised communities, especially children from low-income families, excluded from quality learning.
The message was clear: the State must prioritise investment in free, quality, inclusive public education using its maximum available resources to ensure that every child in Kenya can access quality learning. The right to education is not a privilege; it is a promise, one that must reach every child.
The gathering achieved its core objectives:
- Deliberating on Privatisation: In-depth sessions explored the implications of privatisation, sharing evidence from East Africa, Nepal, and beyond on how it deepens inequality and undermines public accountability.
- Developing a Manifesto on Public Education: Attendees collaboratively drafted a manifesto outlining principles for a robust, funded public education system that ensures that no child is left behind.
This conference marks a pivotal step in the fight against education privatisation and toward a vision of inclusive, rights-based public education. GI-ESCR will continue to work closely with partners to defend the right to public education, and calls on governments, donors, and international financial institutions to prioritise public investment over profit-driven models.
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