Senior School placements begin Friday amid transition concerns

A total of 1.13 million Grade 9 learners who sat the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) will begin receiving information on their senior school pathways and placement starting Friday, marking a major milestone in the rollout of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.

Speaking at the annual Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) delegates’ conference, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the Ministry of Education has completed the placement exercise and assured a 100 per cent transition from junior to senior school.

“We are very clear. All the 1.13 million learners will get space in senior school. We will have 100 per cent transition,” Bitok said.

The KJSEA results, released last week, evaluated learners’ competencies and strengths to guide placement into senior school pathways and institutions. The ministry processed the results alongside pathway choices learners made earlier in the year, ensuring alignment between performance, interests and available school capacity.

“This week, we have been working on placement of all learners to senior school of their choice,” Bitok said, noting that teams worked “around the clock” to complete the process. From Friday, learners can check their placement by sending their assessment number via SMS to 22263 on any mobile network or by visiting their former junior schools, where headteachers have access to the system.

Learners unhappy with their assigned pathways will be allowed to revise their choices during a seven-day window from December 23 to 30 through junior school headteachers using a secure web-based portal. Bitok said learners with special needs were fully considered and that schools which pre-select learners will only review placements during the revision stage.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba acknowledged that the transition will face challenges. “Because this is the first time we are doing this placement, the portal will remain open to allow revisions,” he said, noting learners could change pathways even after reporting in January. While flexibility is welcomed, parents worry the first year will be fluid and unstable.

National Parents Association chairman Silas Obuhatsa said, “A system that allows changes even after reporting suggests placement decisions are provisional. For a 14- or 15-year-old, this means starting senior school unsure whether they are in the right place.”

KNEC CEO David Njengere defended the system, saying CBE eliminates the need for repeating classes. Kenya Private Schools Association chief Rose Okaya, however, argued the government rushed implementation without matching investment. “We cannot train students in sports medicine or technical pathways without equipment. At the end of 12 years, we risk half-baked students,” she said.

Central Career CEO Joseph Muraya also raised concerns about learners being denied critical exposure, such as job shadowing, which should have guided their pathway choices. “Students in technical areas may not have done any serious practical assessments to qualify,” he notedSenior schools are expected to form partnerships with TVET institutions, universities and industries for practical training and mentorship.

Despite the government targeting 100 per cent transition, experts caution that surplus classroom space does not guarantee readiness.

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association chairman Willie Kuria said, “Schools offering three pathways must prepare workshops, machines, and study materials, many of which are not yet available. Senior School in 2026 will be a stress test, with transfers, timetable adjustments, and staffing gaps expected.”

Concerns over costs persist, with reports suggesting parents may pay Sh53,554 for public boarding schools. Ogamba said school fees remain unchanged.

Government capitation of Sh22,244 per learner per year will continue, meaning fees for national, extra-county, and county schools will remain at Sh53,554, Sh45,554 and Sh40,554 respectively.