Influence of socio-economic factors on educational performance in Kenya: A scoping review of empirical evidence, 2010–2025

Abstract

Educational performance in Kenya varies across learners and educational settings, prompting interest in the relationship between socioeconomic circumstances and learning outcomes. Although Kenyan studies have examined household poverty, parental socioeconomic status, parental involvement and school resources, the evidence spans different educational levels, geographical settings and measures of achievement. This study maps empirical evidence published between 2010 and 2025 on the relationship between socioeconomic factors and educational performance in Kenyan primary and secondary education. The study adopts a structured scoping review approach informed by Peters et al. (2015) and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) developed by Tricco et al. (2018). The review organises the literature thematically around household socioeconomic circumstances, parental involvement and educational support, school resources and educational environments, as well as geographical variation. The Joanna Briggs Institute (2017) critical appraisal checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies provides a framework for appraising eligible studies using this design. The reviewed literature encompasses research on poverty and learning achievement, parental socioeconomic background, parenting practices, provision of academic materials, school inputs and social stratification. The studies cover primary and secondary education across diverse settings, including Nairobi’s urban informal neighbourhoods, specific sub-counties and county-level analyses. Collectively, they illustrate the range of household, family, school and geographical dimensions investigated in relation to educational performance. Differences in research designs, populations, socioeconomic indicators and educational outcome measures, however, constrain direct comparisons across studies. The review highlights the importance of examining socioeconomic factors as interconnected but distinct dimensions of educational opportunity. It also underscores the need for transparent reporting of study characteristics, measurement approaches and methodological limitations to support consistent interpretation of the evidence and distinguish observed associations from causal relationships.