Every private primary or secondary school operating in Kenya must be registered by the Ministry of Education through the County Director of Education, in accordance with the Basic Education Act, 2013 and the Ministry’s Registration of Educational Institutions guidelines. Unregistered schools may not legally admit or charge fees from students.
Registration is either provisional (one year) or full (five years). The Ministry of Education enforces minimum infrastructure, staffing, health, and curriculum standards before issuing a registration certificate.
School Registration / Licence Fee Summary Table
| Registration Type | Amount (KES) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Private institution registration (per category) | 10,000 | Applies to primary, secondary, or pre-primary |
| Five-year re-registration (private institution) | 10,000 | Same fee as initial registration |
| Public institution registration | 2,000 | Lower fee for public schools |
| Late or lapsed re-registration | Varies | Subject to Ministry enforcement |
Fees are published under the Ministry of Education’s Basic Standard Requirements for Registration of Educational Institutions.
Key Requirements
To register a private primary or secondary school, the proprietor must submit a completed application form to the Sub-County Director of Education, proof of land ownership or a minimum three-year lease, approved building plans, health and safety compliance certificates from the relevant county offices, a list of qualified and TSC-registered teachers, curriculum compliance documentation based on the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) approved by KICD, and governance structures including a Board of Management. The school is provisionally registered for one year, during which a quality assurance inspection takes place before a full five-year certificate is issued.
Additional Considerations
Schools must register on the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) platform to be eligible for government capitation grants. All teachers must be registered with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
