The Ministry of Education has released comprehensive guidelines for the placement of Grade 10 learners as the country prepares for the full rollout of senior school under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in January 2026. This milestone will see the pioneer Grade 9 cohort transition into senior school, which encompasses Grades 10 to 12.
According to the Ministry, senior schools will be categorized based on four key areas: pathways, accommodation, gender, and special needs. Learners will be placed in either double or triple pathway schools. The double pathway offers Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Arts, and Sports Science (STEAMS), while the triple pathway covers STEM, Arts & Sports, and Social Sciences.
Accommodation options include day schools for commuting learners and hybrid schools that admit both day scholars and boarders. Gender categories will consist of single-sex institutions either girls-only or boys-only and mixed-gender schools.
For learners with special needs, the Ministry has set aside specific provisions: schools for those with hearing, visual, and physical impairments, as well as vocational senior schools tailored for learners with autism, cerebral palsy, cognitive difficulties, and deaf-blind conditions.
Placement will involve learners selecting 12 preferred schools based on their chosen pathways. The selection includes four schools each for first, second, and third choice subject combinations. Of these, nine schools will be boarding three within the learner’s home county and six outside while the remaining three will be day schools from the learner’s home sub-county.
Placements will consider a combination of student choices, merit, psychometric assessments, equity, and institutional capacity. Admission letters will be accessed online via the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS) using the learner’s assessment number. Only students who report physically to schools will be registered in KEMIS, which will monitor daily attendance.
Schools with vacant slots will declare them through county education offices. Any change of placement must be requested through junior school heads at least two weeks before the Grade 10 reporting date and approved by the Ministry. All replacement decisions will be final and must follow set online procedures, eliminating the use of printed letters.
This system aims to streamline transition and ensure fairness in senior school placement under CBC.
