Register a private school
Ministry of Education / County Education Board · sources read 1 Oct 2026
You must register a private school before you open it or admit learners. Apply to the County Education Board; the school is assessed against Ministry standards, then registered provisionally for one year (renewable once) until it passes quality assurance.
- Fee
- We couldn't confirm a fee from the official page. Check it there before you pay.
- Where
- The County Education Board in the county where the school will be
Steps
- Don't open or admit any learners yet: you first need written authority, and registration follows the Ministry of Education's guidelines.
- Get the school ready: enough registered teachers and support staff, proper teaching and learning facilities, and safe, suitable premises.
- Apply to your County Education Board. Quality assurance officers assess the school and report to the Board.
- If approved, the school is registered provisionally for one year (renewable once) until it is quality assured and you get written notice that registration is final.
Watch out
- Running an unregistered private school is an offence: a fine of up to KSh 5 million, up to 3 years in jail, or both.
- Every teacher you employ must be registered with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), or the school can't be registered.
- Parents can check whether a school is registered: the County Education Board's register is open to the public during working hours.
Who can apply
- A proprietor who meets the integrity rules of the Constitution (Chapter Six)
- The proprietor or manager must not have been convicted of a crime against children
Official sources (2)
- Basic Education Act, 2013 (No. 14 of 2013) new.kenyalaw.org · read 1 Oct 2026
- Basic Education Regulations, 2015 (L.N. 39 of 2015) new.kenyalaw.org · read 1 Oct 2026