Muslims’ participation in basic education during the British colonial period in Kenya was quite limited. This was mainly because the colonial administration delegated education to Christian missionaries, whose primary goal was to spread Christianity. Consequently, Muslim communities were hesitant to send their children to these schools, fearing their children would be converted to Christianity. In the post-colonial era, although Islamic Religious Education (IRE) was introduced into the basic education curriculum, many Muslim parents felt that the knowledge gained through IRE was insufficient. As a result, parents often preferred Quran-learning schools and Madrasas as a vital means of raising their children to become responsible citizens. Consequently, they adopted sending their children to Quran schools in the evenings and on weekends.

This, in turn, has caused a ‘Duality of Education’ in Kenya where two distinct education systems (i.e. Islamic and formal education) are operating parallelly in the Muslim community.

Implications of “Dualistic Type of Education”

Some children spend considerable time in Duksi and Madrasa, often surpassing the official age for school enrollment. According to the KICD assessment report on Duksi and Madrasa (2018), some children opt for Madrasa education and miss out on the formal education system due to the heavy curriculum and time commitments required to fulfill its obligations. The government does not officially recognize Madrasa’s qualifications. As a result, Kenyan chartered universities cannot grant admission to Madrasa graduates who wish to enroll in Islamic study programs. Likewise, graduates from Duksi and Madrasa are unable to secure government jobs except in rare cases.

The Concept of Integrated Education

In the last three decades, the Muslim community has begun the concept of Integration as a response to the parallel type of education. The integration of Islamic knowledge into the formal education system seeks to combine Islamic teachings with general subjects. This approach has now become a global practice. Many Muslim countries like Indonesia and Malaysia implement it.

The goal of integration is to ensure Muslim children acquire both Islamic and secular education within the same premises. This approach aims to enhance access, retention, and completion rates for learners in targeted communities. Additionally, it is meant to prepare children who are morally upright, religiously sound, and academically excellent.