Private Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) centres in Kenya must be registered with the Ministry of Education through the County Director of Education, in accordance with the Basic Education Act, 2013 and the Ministry’s Basic Standard Requirements for Registration of Educational Institutions. ECDE in Kenya covers children from pre-primary through to age six, encompassing PP1 and PP2 under the CBC framework.
ECDE regulation involves both national government (Ministry of Education) and county government oversight, as county governments are responsible for funding and managing public ECDE programmes.
ECDE Centre Registration / Licence Fee Summary Table
| Fee Type | Amount (KES) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Private institution registration (per category) | 10,000 | One-off for initial registration |
| Five-year re-registration | 10,000 | Same as initial fee |
| Public ECDE registration | 2,000 | For public/community-run centres |
Fees apply to Ministry of Education registration. Some county governments may levy additional county-level business permit fees.
Key Requirements
Applicants must show proof of suitable premises (minimum classroom size of 8m × 6m as per Ministry standards), health and safety approvals, qualified ECDE teachers holding at least a Certificate in Early Childhood Development Education from KNEC, a governance/management structure, and curriculum alignment with the CBC pre-primary programme approved by KICD. Land or premises documentation (ownership deed or minimum three-year lease) is required.
