Implementation of Universal Primary Education in Kenya: An Analysis of its Impact and Progress towards Achieving the EFA Goal in Kisii District Andrew Makori Abstract The world conference on EFA held in Jomtien – Thailand in 1990 and subsequently in Dakar- Senegal in 2000 initiated a significant global educational agenda. An agenda that not only emphasised the need for improved access to education of all school aged children but also learning and acquisition of quality basic education and skills training, thereby enabling the possessor to participate actively in the various economic activities of a nation. The Kenya Government became a partner in this great global educational agenda in 2003 through the introduction of FPE. This paper is an analysis of the impact of FPE on the chosen schools in Kisii district, in Kenya. The analysis is based on a recent small-scale study involving head teachers purposefully chosen from twenty schools, review of both relevant documents and current related studies. The analysis reveals that the implementation of FPE policy created a positive outcome evidenced by increased enrolment in schools. This was significant especially to the disadvantaged children; children who previously had no access to education. There was also evidence of significant reduction in the repetition rate. However, the increased enrolment had a number of setbacks, for instance, high teacher pupil ratio and inadequate physical facilities. It emerged that many schools did not have enough classrooms and teachers to cater for the large number of pupils enrolled. The list is endless and says something serious about the quality of FPE programme and the schools’ progress towards achieving EFA goal by 2015. Keywords: Free primary education; Education for all; Universal primary education; Kenya Introduction In January 2003 the NARC (National Rainbow Coalition) government implemented the free primary education programme with the aim of providing more opportunities to the disadvantaged school age children (Sifuna, 2005). The programme created a positive outcome because it resulted in significant increase in enrolment in a majority of the schools (Elimu Yetu Coalition, 2004). The policy abolished school fees and other levies arguing that fees and levies posed a serious hindrance to children wanting to access education in schools (Sifuna, 2005). The free primary education policy has been described as laudable (Rob et al., 2004), because of its effect on gross enrolment rate (GER) which increased from 92% in 2002 to 104% in 2003 of the school age children population (Elimu Yetu Coalition, 2004), resulting in more than 1.5 million children who were previously out -of -school joining primary schools (Rob et al, 2004). However, serious challenges have bedevilled the implementation of the FPE policy. They include congested classrooms, limited physical facilities and shortage of qualified teachers, which negatively impacted on the quality of teaching and learning on one hand and contributed to indiscipline in schools on the other (Yieke, 2006). This paper therefore reviews the FPE policy highlighting its achievements and challenges. The paper also assesses the progress of the chosen schools towards achieving EFA goals.