This study investigates the extent to which lockdowns and school closures affected households and low-cost private schools in four urban informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Its findings indicate that measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 significantly reduced household incomes, and among the coping strategies adopted by some households was to transfer learners from private schools to public schools, especially for learners in primary schools, because public primary schools do not charge tuition and enjoy government-paid teachers.