How to Register a School in Kenya: Complete Guide for Aspiring School Owners

Updated 18 October 2026

Anyone in Kenya can open and run a private school, but only after the school is registered under the Basic Education Act, 2013. Running an unregistered school, or presenting a provisionally registered school as fully registered, can lead to a fine of up to KSh 5 million, up to three years in jail, or both. This guide walks you through who registers schools, the documents you need, the inspections you must pass, what it costs and the mistakes that most often delay new school owners.

In this guide

1. Who registers schools in Kenya
2. Who cannot register a private school
3. Step-by-step registration process
4. Requirements for the school manager and board
5. How much it costs to register a school
6. Common mistakes that delay registration
7. Frequently asked questions

Who registers schools in Kenya

Registration sits with the Ministry of Education, but you do not walk into the Ministry headquarters with your file. You apply through the education office where the school will operate, and the County Education Board considers your application. Under Section 52 of the Basic Education Act, the County Education Board, working with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), also assesses private schools after they open, including teachers, non-teaching staff, programmes, learning materials and facilities.

Pre-primary education is a function of county governments under the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution, so if you plan to run a standalone early childhood (ECDE) centre, also check the county’s own licensing rules for ECDE centres before you build.

Who cannot register a private school

Section 50 of the Act says a private school shall not be registered if:

• the proprietor is disqualified under Article 10 or Chapter Six of the Constitution, which deal with national values and integrity;
• any teacher employed in the school is not registered by the TSC;
• the premises, or any part of them, are unsuitable for a school; or
• the proprietor or manager has been convicted of a crime against children under the Sexual Offences Act or the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Act.

Step-by-step registration process

Step 1: Register the business that will own the school

The Ministry asks private schools for a business name certificate, a certificate of incorporation, or both. Most owners reserve a name and register either a business name or a limited company on eCitizen through the Business Registration Service. See our guides on reserving a business name and registering a limited company. Note that this certificate is not a licence to operate a school; the Ministry says so plainly in its registration requirements.

Step 2: Write to the education board and get site approval

The Ministry’s Basic Standard Requirements for Registration of Educational and Training Institutions say your intention to start a school must be communicated in writing to the education board for the area. The board then checks the suitability of the site and considers need in the area, looking at things such as population, the number of nearby schools, distance to the nearest school, the size of the land and the site plan. There must be evidence that the board visited the site, and you should receive a site approval letter before you build or lease.

Step 3: Put up facilities that meet the standards

Once the site is approved, you construct or lease the physical facilities. The requirements say facilities must be disability friendly, and you will need an approved architect’s plan, so involve your county planning office early. If you are leasing, the Ministry asks for a renewable lease of at least eight years, drawn up before a commissioner for oaths. Owners who build often underestimate this stage, so budget for classrooms, toilets, water, play space and a kitchen if you will feed learners.

Step 4: Book the quality assurance and public health inspections

When the basic facilities are ready, request an inspection by Quality Assurance and Standards Officers and by Public Health Officers. Each inspection produces a signed report, and the education board authenticates the reports before it deliberates on your application.

Step 5: Fill in the forms and submit your file

Application forms for the institution and for the manager are filled in triplicate. According to the Ministry’s requirements, they must be accompanied by:

1. The site approval letter.
2. A copy of the education board minutes, or notice of the board’s decision, signed by the education officer.
3. The quality assurance inspection report, signed in person by the quality assurance officer and countersigned by the education officer.
4. The public health inspection report signed by the public health officer.
5. A copy of the land title deed or the renewable lease of at least eight years.
6. Copies of every teacher’s academic and professional certificates and TSC registration certificates.
7. The business name certificate, certificate of incorporation or both.
8. The approved architect’s plan of the facilities.
9. Payment of the registration fee to the Ministry.

Step 6: Run on provisional registration, then get final registration

Under Section 50(3), a private school’s registration is first provisional for one year, renewable once for a further year, until the school is quality assured and the proprietor is notified in writing that registration is final. Use the provisional period to fix anything the inspectors flagged, because the follow-up assessment decides whether you get full registration.

Requirements for the school manager and board

The Ministry’s standards set out rules for private school management:

• The manager must have at least a D+ in KCSE (or Third Division at O Level).
• A manager who runs the school day to day must hold a teaching qualification for the level offered, for example an ECD certificate for a nursery, a P1 certificate for primary, and at least a B.Ed or equivalent for secondary.
• Teachers should hold a qualification at least one grade higher than the level they teach.
• The school must set up a management board of at least three members.

Once open, Section 52 requires a private school to follow the approved curriculum, recruit registered teachers, keep premises that meet health, safety and building standards, keep learning materials and maintain learner data for the Cabinet Secretary. Learner data is captured on NEMIS, so read our guide on registering learners for a NEMIS number.

How much it costs to register a school

The Daily Nation, reporting on the Ministry’s registration guidelines, said private schools pay KSh 10,000 for a one-year provisional registration or a five-year registration, while public institutions pay KSh 2,000. The Ministry’s Citizen Service Charter (2021) also lists KSh 2,000 for each stage of public secondary school registration. Fees are reviewed from time to time, so confirm the current amount and how to pay it at your sub-county education office before you submit.

Registration fees are a small part of the bill. Plan separately for land or rent, construction to approved plans, county approvals and your single business permit, furniture, books, and salaries for TSC-registered teachers. Our overview of the legal requirements for starting a business in Kenya covers the tax and permit side.

Common mistakes that delay registration

• Building before site approval. If the board rejects the site, you may have to start again somewhere else.
• Short or informal leases. A lease shorter than eight years, or one not drawn before a commissioner for oaths, will not meet the requirement.
• Hiring unregistered teachers. One unregistered teacher is enough for registration to be refused under Section 50.
• Treating the company certificate as a licence. It is not, and opening on it alone is an offence.
• Ignoring inspection comments. Provisional registration lasts at most two years, so unresolved issues can cost you final registration.

When you are ready to recruit, you can advertise teaching and support roles on Job in Kenya. For ideas on positioning a premium school, see our look at international schools in Kenya.

Frequently asked questions

Can I open my school while waiting for registration?

No. The Basic Education Act makes it an offence to conduct a private school that is not registered or provisionally registered, with a fine of up to KSh 5 million, up to three years in jail, or both.

How long does provisional registration last?

One year, renewable once for another year, until the school is quality assured and the proprietor gets written notice that registration is final.

Do all teachers in a private school need TSC registration?

Yes. Section 50 says a private school shall not be registered if any teacher it employs is not registered by the Teachers Service Commission.

Where do I collect the application forms?

From the education office for the sub-county or county where the school will operate. That office also guides you on site approval, inspections and how to pay the fee.