Stakeholder Participation in Improving Access to and Success in Education: The Kenyan Experience

Empirical research evidence has revealed that all nations generally endeavor to provide the best quality basic education for its youth so as to achieve sustainable development. This has been demonstrated through heavy investment in education sector, establishment of the Education Commissions, sessional papers, frequent policy changes, reviews of regulations including other edicts from the ministries in charge of education. In Kenya, in effort to provide quality education and achieve one hundred percent (100%) transition rate and success in basic education, major reforms have been undertaken to ensure that education goals are attained and produce graduates with relevant skills who are competitive in the world of work after completing basic education. Among the strategies employed to realize these has been increased stakeholder involvement in the provision of basic education. The key stakeholders include the Government of Kenya, foreign and local donors, parents, sponsors as defined by the Basic Education Act of 2013, teachers, school management, students and community leadership among others. This paper therefore, examines the stakeholder involvement in improving access to and success in education with specific examples drawn from the Kenyan basic education. The paper, therefore, provides a brief global perspective to corroborate the Kenyan experiences. The paper further examines key principles for success in education and provides a critique with examples of major impediments to the realization of one hundred percent (100%) access to and success in education in the context of stakeholder participation. This is discussed under the framework of achievement versus Trust dilemma model that characterize stakeholder role in schools in Kenya. The design is specifically aimed at stimulating further debate on national education goals that ultimately define the national ethos. The paper concludes by making observations that the hallmark to achieving transition lies in the ability to provide quality education in Kenya. Stakeholders operating under systems approach framework have the key to the realization of improved access to and success in basic education.