Africa · Country briefing

Kenya

A child-friendly mission briefing for 20 November - capital, climate, school day, languages, fun facts, native animals, and five questions to ask the class on the other side of the world.

Capital
Nairobi
Population
~54 million
Time zone
Africa/Nairobi (UTC +3)
Currency
Kenyan shilling (KES)

Kenya, with Nairobi marked

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Climate in November: End of the short rains; warm with showers in many regions.

The capital

Nairobi

Photo · Wikimedia Commons

Fun facts

What makes Kenya a bit special.

Tap any card to open a class-ready mini-lesson - for the teacher to walk through, or an older child to read aloud.

Native animals

Wildlife your partner class might know best.

Tap any animal to open a class-ready lesson about it.

School life

In a Kenya classroom

Many Kenyan schools follow the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). English and Swahili are both widely used.

Typical school day: Often 08:00-16:00, longer in upper grades.

School year: January to November.

Greetings to learn

Say hello like a local

Jambo!
Swahili · JAM-bo
Habari!
Swahili · ha-BAH-ree

Five questions to ask

Conversation starters

01What languages do you speak at home and at school?
02What do children learn first at school?
03What is your favourite subject?
04What's a fun game children play in your community?
05What do you hope to do when you finish school?

What not to assume

Friendly cautions

ℹKenya has 40+ ethnic groups and many languages - not just one experience.
ℹSchool experience varies widely between cities, towns, and rural areas.

Culture

Food, music, sport, festivals.

Tap any chip to open a class-ready lesson - what it is, why it matters, fun facts.