Did you know that Homeschooling in Kenya has been happening since the 1980s? However, until recently most parents in Kenya prefer enrolling their children in public or private school systems due to the lack of information and popularity around homeschooling.
Two factors have seen more parents transitioning to homeschooling their children over the past 3 years. They include;
• The covid 19 pandemic that made parents realize that remote learning was a possibility due to the lockdown.
• the confusion that was observed during the transition of the 8-4-4 system to the CBC school system. more parents are now open to the idea that maybe, homeschooling will provide more stability to their children.
You could be asking, where do I begin? The five steps outlined below will give you and your child a fail proof and transition into homeschooling in Kenya.
1. Research on the Legal Requirements for Homeschooling
Knowing the laws governing homeschooling in Kenya will help you avoid any implications arising from breaking the law. Kenyan law, for instance, requires homeschooling parents to register their children with the government.
It is important to note that, while homeschooling in Kenya is legal, the country lacks adequate legal guidelines to assist homeschooling parents. This is because homeschooling in Kenya is still fairly unpopular.
There are, however, various homeschooling societies in the country you could join to guide you through. They include; The Homeschooling Foundation of Kenya (HSFK) and Kenya Homeschooling Association (KHA). These associations will help you navigate the legal processes you require to homeschool.
2. Decide on a Curriculum
Settling on a curriculum is one of the most challenging decisions caregiver encounters while
starting to homeschool in Kenya. You may be confused about whether to choose from the
numerous homeschool curriculums available online or to create your curriculum.
Most Kenyan homeschoolers either go through the Kenyan system (KNEC), the British system (IGCSE), or the
American system (ACE). While deciding on the curriculum to use on your child, you should evaluate your child’s strengths and gifts to choose what fits them best.
It is also important to factor in the availability of coursework material and how affordable your preferred system is to avoid getting overwhelmed. The internet will be a good starting point as it offers a wide pool of free educational resources and curriculums. Sites such as Khan Academy, Youtube, The Homeschool Compass, The Homeschool Compass and Ambleside Online are great resources
3. Factor in Logistics
Like any program, the success of your homeschooling journey will depend on how well-prepared
you are. Before you start homeschooling your child, ensure that you plan on the various logistics
including resources, structure and time.
Decide whether you can provide the finances required to set up a homeschool environment. In
addition, ask yourself, will you be the teacher, or will you hire a tutor for your child? You will
also need to set up a workable system to evaluate your child’s progress.
4. Link up With a Local Homeschool Community
It might get lonely trying to start homeschooling on your own. Networking with other parents
already walking the homeschooling journey will provide you with a support system as you start
homeschooling your child. The community will help you have more understanding of the best
homeschooling systems and address any concerns you might have as a beginner.
Some Local homeschooling communities in Kenya organize extracurricular activities for their
children. Joining one of the communities will ensure that your child does not miss out on
socialization.
Conclusion
Homeschooling in Kenya is no doubt, a bold decision. There are limited resources that help
beginners. In addition, the Kenyan law doesn’t really provide guidelines for homeschooling in
the country.
Regardless of these shortcomings, homeschooling is a great choice to provide a more personalized system to educate your child. Following the steps highlighted above will give you a foolproof method for starting Homeschooling in Kenya with ease.
