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By Victoria Musimbi
Nairobi, Kenya: Refugees in Kenya continue to face barriers to education, including documentation requirements, limited learning opportunities and livelihood pressures that can make it difficult to pursue education and skills development. Stakeholders are now calling for more flexible and inclusive learning pathways to help refugees acquire skills, access opportunities and strengthen their self-reliance.
The call was made during a stakeholder session convened by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and EACHRights, bringing together representatives from the Directorate of Adult Learning and Education, the Ministry of Education, other government departments, civil society organisations, refugee representatives and human rights institutions to discuss barriers to inclusion and identify practical solutions.
Although the session addressed refugee inclusion in Kenya broadly, particular attention was given to urban refugee communities in Nairobi, especially their access to adult education and other essential services.
Adult Education as a Pathway to Inclusion
According to Salome Terah, Nairobi County Director of Adult and Continuing Education, the Directorate of Adult Learning and Education (DALE) coordinates, regulates and delivers Adult Learning and Education programmes offering literacy, numeracy, skills development and certification opportunities to youth and adults aged 15 years and above.
Terah said the Directorate supports vulnerable and marginalised groups, including urban refugees, by establishing Adult Learning Centres in areas with high concentrations of vulnerable populations, such as Eastleigh and Kayole.
“Adult Learning and Education is a tool for inclusion and economic empowerment,” Terah said, noting that the Directorate provides an opportunity to deliberately target vulnerable groups, including displaced populations.
Through Integrated Functional Adult Literacy programmes, learners access literacy, numeracy, civic education and life skills relevant to urban livelihoods. The Directorate also facilitates Post-Literacy and Continuing Education, helping learners acquire practical skills that can support self-employment and participation in the informal economy.
For learners seeking formal recognition, DALE works with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to enable eligible learners, including refugees with the required documentation, to access adult assessments and certification pathways.
Despite these programmes, Terah said documentation requirements, limited Adult Learning Centres and livelihood pressures continue to affect participation. Language and cultural differences may also create challenges, while a shortage of instructors limits the Directorate’s ability to meet growing demand.
She said the education needs of refugee communities should be included in government planning and budgeting, noting that many urban refugees are motivated to acquire literacy and livelihood skills that can support self-reliance.
“Adult education can provide vulnerable groups with practical skills that support their livelihoods and participation in society,” Terah said.
Terah called for more Adult Learning Centres in areas with significant refugee populations, as well as evening and weekend classes that would allow people with work and family responsibilities to study.
She also called for better data on refugee learners and clearer pathways to further education and certification.
“Urban refugees can meaningfully access adult education as a pathway to skills, dignity and economic inclusion,” Terah said.
Addressing Wider Barriers
Johnstone Shisanya, Programme Manager for the Education Justice Program at EACHRights, said the organisation advocates for the right to education for marginalised and vulnerable groups, including refugees, asylum seekers, migrant workers and internally displaced persons.
“SDG 4 calls for quality and inclusive education, leaving no one behind, regardless of their social, cultural, religious, gender or other status,” Shisanya said.
He said documentation and registration challenges can affect access to education systems such as the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS). Participants also raised concerns about safety and security, sexual and gender-based violence affecting girls, limited access to healthcare and difficulties obtaining licences to operate businesses.
Shisanya said the session created an opportunity for different actors to develop a coordinated response to these challenges.
“The forum brought together different stakeholders, and various ideas and strategies emerged from the panel discussions, plenary and group sessions. A strong multi-stakeholder movement was formed with the aim of pushing for the realization of the rights of refugees in Kenya,” he said.
He said EACHRights will work with partners to advocate for improved implementation of policies affecting refugees, including a review of the 2010 Adult Learning and Education Policy to strengthen access to inclusive and equitable education.
Turning Policy Into Inclusion
Collins Omondi, Senior Programme Officer in charge of Protection and Social Cohesion at Lutheran World Federation Kenya-Somalia, said the meeting placed education within the broader agenda of refugee inclusion in Kenya.
He pointed to the Refugees Act No. 10 of 2021 and the Shirika Plan, which emphasise the socioeconomic inclusion and integration of refugees and host communities.
Omondi said the goal is for refugees and host communities, where possible, to access services through the same systems while living and working alongside each other.
He said the meeting also provided an opportunity to assess progress towards refugee integration, particularly in education, while identifying gaps that require further action. He acknowledged the government’s role in supporting inclusion, particularly in refugee-hosting areas such as Kakuma, Kalobeyei and Dadaab.
“The discussions contributed to an advocacy strategy that will guide how we engage the government going forward—recognising what has been done, identifying what remains to be done and encouraging more stakeholders to come on board to support the government,” Omondi said.
The outcome of the meeting will also inform an advocacy document outlining how stakeholders can engage the government on refugee inclusion and support for refugee-hosting communities.
For urban refugee communities, Omondi said registration and documentation remain important for legal recognition and protection, while those living in urban areas are expected to comply with Kenyan laws and follow the appropriate processes when moving from designated refugee-hosting areas.
“Ultimately, we want to see greater inclusion of refugees, stronger support for refugee-hosting areas and peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities,” Omondi said.
Expanding flexible adult education, improving documentation and strengthening access to public services could help turn Kenya’s refugee inclusion policies into practical opportunities for vulnerable communities across the country.
