While the school participation impacts of the Universal Primary Education policies in SubSaharan
Africa have been impressive, learning impacts’ assessment has received little attention.
This study measures and explains the initial achievement impacts of the Free Primary Education
(FPE) policy in Kenya using grade six pupils’ reading and math standardized test scores. We find
large achievement declines, spillover effects to private schools and heterogeneous impacts by
gender and socioeconomic status. The declines are associated with decreased teacher efforts and
local community disengagement. Policy studies on pathways to increased local community
involvement in public schools will lead to improved learning.