This volume investigates the complex interplay between formal education systems and the socio-economic development trajectory of post-independence Kenya. Edited by David Court and Dharam P. Ghai, the text synthesizes research from the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Nairobi to examine how schooling influences social stratification, labor markets, and national policy. The authors employ a multi-disciplinary framework to evaluate whether educational expansion effectively addresses the structural inequalities present in a developing nation.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the historical development of the Kenyan educational system. Scholars frequently cite the volume for its empirical rigor and its critical assessment of the limitations of schooling as a singular driver of economic progress.