Abstract:
Secondary education provides a vital link between basic education and the world of work, on one hand, and
further training on the other. It is therefore an important sub-sector of education in the preparation of human
capital for development and provision of life opportunities. Secondary education in Kenya takes four years to
complete, catering for students aged 14 to 17 years and it leads to the award of the Kenya Certificate of
Secondary Education. The objectives of secondary education are to acquire necessary knowledge, skills and
attitudes for the development of the self and the nation and to promote love for and loyalty to the nation among
others. There are several impediments that have hindered government efforts to provide free day secondary
schooling. These include, the New Constitution that made Teachers Service Commission autonomous,
unregulated school levies by education officials, heads associations, remedial teaching, and failure by sponsors
to play their oversight role and corruption in ministry of education. It is recommended that the students who are
not likely to benefit from formal secondary schooling should be provided with options to access secondary
education, through alternative methods such as distance learning and skills training. In addition, Kenya
Certificate of Primary Education should be scrapped to reduce the demand for boarding schools except among
the nomadic communities. With the necessary legislation in place, the government should hire private auditors to
ensure prudent use of public resources.
