Abstract
Education policy has the potential to provide girls with an opportunity to develop capabilities for and through education which may enhance their agency freedom in the present and future. In 2017, Kenya introduced the Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) policy to alleviate the burden of tuition fees on parents, in a bid to reach 100% transition from primary to secondary school. However, Kenya’s gender gap index still remains at 0.71 suggesting girls have less opportunity and freedom to choose education than boys. The study employed a critical documentary thematic analysis through a capability lens to examine seven policies related education and gender within Kenya.
The findings highlight the importance of capabilities such as mobility, bodily integrity, practical reasoning, and aspiration, which are crucial for girls to realise their potential and pursue their desired futures. However, through the analysis the policies potentially create a number of barriers, preventing girls from achieving these capabilities. A lack of financial, social, information, cultural and geographical resources potentially have the power to impede a girl's ability to convert the opportunities education provides into capabilities, negatively affecting their agency and freedom.
The thesis concludes with a number of recommendations for policy makers designed to enhance girls capability development for and through education. The recommendations focused on developing the four capabilities outlined and reducing the barriers to do so, aiming to empower girls to achieve the freedom required to live the lives they wish to. By addressing the existing barriers and promoting supportive policies, policy makers may be able to create a more equitable educational landscape, fostering agency and freedom for all girls across Kenya.
| Date of Award | 25 Jun 2025 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Lizzi Milligan (Supervisor) & Michael Fertig (Supervisor) |
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