Changes

The leading center is the University of Nairobi, with 200 programs in six colleges on seven campuses. Founded in 1956 as the Royal Technical College, it had links with the University of London, and took its present name in 1970, when it had 2700 students. By 1992 it had about 14,000 students, mostly Kenyans. By 2004 it enrolled 29,000 undergraduates, and 7,000 graduate students. There are 4,000 staff members, and 90,000 alumni.<ref> See [http://www.uonbi.ac.ke/] and [http://www.uonbi.ac.ke/management/downloads/Info_Booklet.pdf]</ref>   

The leading center is the University of Nairobi, with 200 programs in six colleges on seven campuses. Founded in 1956 as the Royal Technical College, it had links with the University of London, and took its present name in 1970, when it had 2700 students. By 1992 it had about 14,000 students, mostly Kenyans. By 2004 it enrolled 29,000 undergraduates, and 7,000 graduate students. There are 4,000 staff members, and 90,000 alumni.<ref> See [http://www.uonbi.ac.ke/] and [http://www.uonbi.ac.ke/management/downloads/Info_Booklet.pdf]</ref>   

Many Kenyans study at universities abroad.  The most famous is  Barack Obama, Sr. (1936-1982), born a village in Nyanza Province, of Luo ethnicity. He became a graduate student at the University of Hawaii where in 1960 he married an American graduate student Ann Dunham. Their only child was [[Barack Obama|Barack Hussein Obama Jr.]], now a leading candidate for president of the US. The father deserted and the marriage ended in divorce; Obama Sr. studied economics at Harvard and returned to Kenya as a senior civil servant. Frustrated as a Luo by the Kikuyu dominance, he turned to drink and died in 1982. "His ideas about how Kenya should progress often put him at odds with the politics of tribe and patronage," his son said in a 2006 speech in Nairobi, "and because he spoke his mind, sometimes to a fault, he ended up being fired from his job and prevented from finding work in the country for many, many years."  The son visited the village, where his grandmother still lives.<ref>Kevin Merida, "The Ghost of a Father," ''Washington Post'' December 14, 2007 online at [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/12/13/ST2007121301893.html] </ref>

Many Kenyans continue their formal education at universities, many choosing to study abroad primarily at commonwealth realm countries and the United States.  For example, Barack Obama, Sr. (1936-1982), born a village in Nyanza Province, became a graduate student at the University of Hawaii. In 1960 he married an American graduate student Ann Dunham. Their only child was [[Barack Obama|Barack Hussein Obama Jr.]], the president of the United States. Obama Sr. studied economics at Harvard and returned to Kenya as a senior civil servant. "His ideas about how Kenya should progress often put him at odds with the politics of tribe and patronage," his son said in a 2006 speech in Nairobi, "and because he spoke his mind, sometimes to a fault, he ended up being fired from his job and prevented from finding work in the country for many, many years."  The son visited the village, where his grandmother still lives.<ref>Kevin Merida, "The Ghost of a Father," ''Washington Post'' December 14, 2007 online at [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/12/13/ST2007121301893.html] </ref>

The recent period since 1980 has been marked by a major reduction in funding and attendance at the primary level.

The recent period since 1980 has been marked by a major reduction in funding and attendance at the primary level.

==History==

==History==