This study employed a multilevel technique to examine pupil- and school-level factors that influence absenteeism rates among Standard 6 primary school pupils in Kenya. The data used in this study were collected as part of Southern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) II project in 2002 from 3,299 pupils in 185 schools in eight provinces in Kenya. At the individual level, results show that pupil's age, pupil's home background (SES), number of meals eaten by pupil per week and corrections of the homework given to the pupil significantly influence absenteeism rates in Kenya. At the group level, results show that working places in class (for sitting and writing) and school geographical location (province) significantly influence absenteeism in Kenya. Policy implications of these results are discussed.