What is Out-of-School Children

The provision of basic education in urban informal settlements in Kenya has invariably been described as poorly organized, less equitable and hence, one that is in crisis. This chapter examines the state of basic education as a function of the policies and approaches that guide its provision. It is argued in this chapter that the manner in which educational policy has been designed and resources distributed over time exhibits a tendency towards marginalizing children in urban informal settlements in terms of access to quality education compared to their counterparts elsewhere. Considering the socio-economic and socio-historical contexts of informal settlements in Kenya, it is concluded that while government efforts towards the provision of education are appreciated, it has not been sufficiently sensitive to the circumstances of the children learning in institutions in these settlements.