In a landmark step toward inclusive education, members of the National Assembly passed the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill of 2025, clearing the way for official recognition and state funding for Alternative Provision of Basic Education and Training (APBET) institutions.
Introduced by Mathare MP Anthony Oluoch, the legislation seeks to seamlessly integrate informal schools into Kenya’s main basic education system, ensuring vulnerable children in informal settlements and marginalized communities receive equal access to quality schooling.
While presenting the bill during its second reading, Oluoch emphasized that formal recognition upholds constitutional guarantees regarding equality, human dignity, and the universal right to education under Articles 10, 27, 43, and 53.
Highlighting the critical role of these institutions, Kibra MP Peter Orero noted that informal settlements rely overwhelmingly on APBET schools due to severe deficits in public infrastructure, citing Kibra’s 300 informal institutions compared to just 11 public primary schools.
Echoing these concerns, Seme MP James Nyikal pointed out that the lack of legal acknowledgment has historically cut off thousands of underprivileged students from essential public resources, despite basic education being a fundamental constitutional right.
Under the proposed law, county governments will maintain comprehensive databases of APBET institutions and adopt flexible registration guidelines to enhance state oversight and accurate data collection.
Once fully enacted, the reforms will grant APBET schools legal standing, direct representation in national and county education structures, and access to crucial government funding for infrastructure and learning materials, transforming educational opportunities for thousands of underserved learners nationwide.
