In all of Kenya education costs money and always will. From preschool to university.
The school year begins in January and ends in December. It consists of 3 semesters with breaks of 3 weeks between them.
One school uniform can be worn 2 to 4 years, depending on how fast the child grows. But one has to keep in mind that they have only one set which they wear Mondays through Fridays 10 h per day and wash each day.
The school does not supply exercise books, books or school materials. Everyone has to take care of that on their own.
The children have exams 3 times a year and the teacher grading them decides whether the student can move to the next grade.
They begin in grade 0 or 1. The primary school includes 8 grades. The yearly costs for schooling amount to 25,000 Shillings (about 200 to 250€).
Secondary school includes 4 years and is mostly a boarding school (that’s the Kenyan system). It costs 28,000 Shillings per year (i.e. about 275€) Plus one whole set etc. for 15,000 Shillings (150€). A set consists of a mattress, school uniform (2x), at least one pair of shoes, cleaning agents, a washing bowl, a suitcase for clothing, underwear, transport etc.
The schools are separated into classes for boys and girls.
The vocational school takes 2 years. It’s meant for kids who aren’t very successful in the sciences and can’t get good enough results to move on to secondary school. The costs are about the same as for the secondary school.
The schools differ in quality and it depends on the child into which one they can get. The better their results in the 8th grade exam, the greater their chance to get into a better school.