Transitions from primary to secondary school and onwards into higher education and work: girls’ expectations and experiences in Kenya

In this report – the second to emerge from a three-year research project on girls’ transitions through school and onwards into higher education and work (2022–2025) – we explore the aspirations and preparedness of girls in the West Pokot, Homa Bay, and Narok counties of Kenya. We will be following the same cohort of girls in the next wave of fieldwork (phase three of the research project).

This research is based on two main questions:

• What experiences and aspirations do girls have regarding their transitions through education systems and into work?
• What kind of in-school and system-level support are girls receiving, to help with their transitions?

Our research shows that girls overwhelmingly do want to transition from primary to secondary school, but not necessarily for reasons of studying at a higher level; they are mostly motivated by the ambition to go a new school and the chance to learn new subjects with pupils from other schools. This underscores the need to educate children, caregivers and communities in the benefits that education can bring later in life.

Most girls at primary school report that they are ready for transition but are not well-equipped in the core competencies of exercising autonomy over their schoolwork and setting personal goals. Caregivers are the main source of information and support for girls who are preparing to transition from primary and secondary school, while very few receive information and guidance from teachers, siblings, and peers.

Secondary school is an important pathway for preparing young people to transition into work, but less than half of the schools surveyed provide mentorship on employment. Schools that do offer this kind of support focus on activities such as life skills, resume writing, and job opportunities – but not the digital literacy or transferable skills that are increasingly in demand in the workplace.

Our research shows that financial constraint is the biggest barrier in transition from primary to secondary school and onwards to higher education; girls with caregivers working in the informal employment sector are four times more likely to face this challenge than those whose caregivers work in the formal sector.

Our report explores all these issues in depth and makes several key recommendations on how to tackle them and best support girls with their transitions. This research forms part of EDT’s wider public research agenda in education, careers, and employability – aimed at informing policy and practice around the world.

Read the first report from this three-year research project here.