Progression and Transition to Secondary Education: How Wide Are the Disparities within and between Slum and Non-Slum Communities?

Frederick Mugisha, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)

Inequities in transition to secondary schooling are a major source of subsequent disadvantage in employment, health and life chances. The slum population posses an even greater challenge, especially in Africa; in part due to increasing urbanization and slum conditions, which exacerbate subsequent inequities. But how wide are these inequities? We use six-year retrospective data (2005-2000) from slum and non-slum areas of Nairobi to construct cohorts at primary school level, 1, 4, 7 and 8 in year 2000 and follow them to 2005. Results show wide differences in secondary school transition between non-slum and slum children. For primary 1 cohort, 99 percent non-slum and 97 percent slum children are in school after follow-up. In contrast however, in primary 7 cohort, its 86 percent in non-slum and 28 percent in slum. This will likely disadvantage slum children to achieve universal primary school access and completion, gender equity, and decent work for youth.