The Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic for Children in Kenya

Based on survey data for more than 5,000 Kenyan households, this study shows that, despitegovernment efforts to introduce remote learning options, access to education declined markedly during anine-month-long period of school closures. Remote learning was adopted by only a small minority of students, anddisadvantaged children fell further behind. During the first semester of 2021, reports of alterations in children’sexternalizing and internalizing behavior more than tripled, with one in five children being affected by June 2021. Afterschools reopened, children learning remotely or through alternative means were more likely to suffer from thesedisruptions in emotional well-being than those who returned to school. While the medium- and long-term effects onlearning outcomes and human capital remain unknown, the findings suggest that girls and children from poorer andless educated households have been disproportionately affected.