Kenya: Unicef Report Ranks Kenya Highly in Early-Grade Learning Efforts

What the report says

Kenya has been rated among Africa’s stronger performers in foundational learning in a new continental assessment highlighted by Capital FM and distributed by AllAfrica. The 2026 Foundational Learning Action Tracker, produced by UNICEF and the Hempel Foundation, placed Kenya in the “Established” category, the third of four levels used to measure government efforts to improve basic reading and mathematics skills in early grades.

The report covers 52 African countries and credits Kenya for routinely assessing early-grade literacy and numeracy to spot learning gaps and shape responses. It also places Kenya within a wider regional picture in which many governments are using education data for policy decisions, but fewer are translating those findings into classroom practice. The report says African countries still face broader challenges in improving learning outcomes, including learning poverty and uneven support systems for students.

According to the article, the report was presented in Nairobi on 19 October, where Basic Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa urged stronger implementation of education policies and more focus on what works in practice. He said reforms should ensure that improvements reach all learners, regardless of background or school conditions.

UNICEF education official Matt Brossard also called for greater investment in disadvantaged schools and better use of technology and data. The report recommends stronger policy execution, better use of assessment results in teaching, and improved support for teachers and learners.