Boys’ secondary schools in Kenya offer more subjects and have stronger STEM resources than girls’ schools, according to the 2026 Gender Report.
The findings show that boys’ schools consistently outperform girls’ schools in the number of subjects offered at the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) level.
At least 62.1 percent of boys’ schools offer 12 or more examinable subjects, compared to 58.5 percent of girls’ schools and only 19 percent of mixed schools.
The report links the wider subject range in boys’ schools to better academic and career opportunities for students, noting that access to more subjects increases flexibility in subject combination and future career choices.
STEM Resource Gap Widens Inequality
The report links the wider range of subjects in boys’ schools to stronger academic progression and broader career opportunities.
Students who can choose from more subjects are better placed to pursue careers in competitive areas such as science, medicine, engineering, and technology.
Beyond subject choice, the report shows that boys’ schools also lead in key STEM resources.
Boys’ schools are significantly more likely to have fully equipped laboratories for chemistry, biology, and physics.
Also Read: Kenyan Mothers to Enjoy Free Maternity Services in Select Hospitals in New SHA Changes
A boys’ school is 13.6 percent more likely than a girls’ school to have a chemistry laboratory, 13 percent more likely to have a biology laboratory, and 18.3 percent more likely to have a physics laboratory.
This advantage extends to the overall distribution of laboratories.
On average, only 21.8 percent of girls’ schools have chemistry laboratories, compared with much higher rates in boys’ schools, while similar gaps exist in biology and physics facilities.
In girls’ schools, the lower availability of laboratories reduces hands-on learning.
Practical science lessons rely on laboratory access, yet the report shows that boys’ schools are consistently better resourced in this area, allowing more effective teaching of science subjects.
The gap also affects staffing in STEM areas. Boys’ schools have more science teachers, while STEM subjects across schools are largely taught by men.
In girls’ schools, the ratio of male to female teachers in mathematics is 2:1 and rises to 3:1 in physics, highlighting further imbalance in STEM delivery.
Other facilities that support learning and student welfare follow the same pattern.
Boys’ schools are more likely to have dining halls, playgrounds, and access to computer learning.
Data show that 71 percent of boys’ schools have dining halls, compared with 31.6 percent of girls’ schools and 41.7 percent of mixed schools.
Also Read: KNEC Sets New Directives for Principals on Grade 10 Assessment Centres
Access to playgrounds is also higher in boys’ schools at 85 percent, compared to 72.7 percent in girls’ schools and 76.6 percent in mixed schools.
The gap is even wider in computer learning.
About 57.5 percent of boys’ schools offer computer lessons, more than double the 24.9 percent recorded in girls’ schools, while mixed schools stand at 33.8 percent.
Boys’ Schools Gain Advantage Through Subject Variety
These differences extend to broader digital access, with boys’ schools also reporting higher availability of ICT devices and operational computer laboratories than girls’ and mixed schools.
Data show that 58.6 percent of boys’ schools have operational computer laboratories, compared with 23.1 percent of girls’ schools and 32.2 percent of mixed schools.
Boys’ schools also have greater access to digital learning tools, including TVs, radios, and LCD projectors, than girls’ and mixed schools.
For instance, a higher proportion of boys’ schools report access to teacher digital devices at 48.1 percent compared to 28.5 percent in girls’ schools and 32.5 percent in mixed schools.
Operational ICT infrastructure remains limited overall, with only 66 percent of schools having functional computer laboratories.
Data show that 58.6 percent of boys’ schools have operational computer laboratories, compared with 23.1 percent of girls’ schools and 32.2 percent of mixed schools.
