Next year, senior schools in Kenya will undergo a transformation under the Competency-Based Curriculum, and both parents and students are preparing for the changes. A student entering Grade 10 will no longer sit in a classroom where every subject is forced upon them in the same way as before. Instead, they will have four compulsory subjects, while the rest will be tailored to their interests and future goals. English will remain at the centre, alongside Kiswahili or Kenya Sign Language, Physical Education, and Community Service Learning. Mathematics, after much debate, will still feature but in different forms: advanced for those pursuing science and technology, and simplified for those in the arts and social sciences.
Beyond the compulsory subjects, every student will choose three electives that determine their pathway. A learner drawn to laboratories and equations may pick Biology, Physics, and Computer Science under the STEM track. Another, more inclined to people and society, might select History, Business Studies, and Religious Education within the Social Sciences. Meanwhile, the creative student can step into studios, theaters, or sports fields, choosing Music, Visual Arts, or Sports Science. For the first time, senior schools will resemble miniature universities, where students begin shaping careers long before stepping into college.
But these opportunities will come at a cost. The government will continue to cushion families through its annual capitation grant of KES 22,244 per child, but parents will still shoulder much of the financial burden. In a national boarding school within Nairobi or Mombasa, where every pathway is available, the annual bill could rise to between KES 70,000 and KES 80,000, depending on the cluster. These schools will need expensive laboratories, digital tools, sports equipment, and specialized teachers, and parents will be asked to meet part of these costs. In extra-county or county boarding schools, the figure will be lower—around KES 60,000 per year—though still higher than what families are used to. By contrast, day schools will remain the most affordable, with parents paying only modest amounts on top of the government subsidy, sometimes less than KES 10,000 per year.
The changes are already visible. In Nairobi, some schools have begun refurbishing their laboratories and adding digital hubs, ready to host STEM learners. In Kisumu, an arts-focused senior school has been upgrading its music and drama halls to accommodate a new wave of creative learners. In Kitale, administrators are considering community projects that will allow students to earn credits through service, as required by the new curriculum.
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Thus, senior schools next year will feel both familiar and transformed. Students will still wear uniforms and attend morning assemblies, but once in class, the experience will be more focused, more personal, and more connected to real life. Parents will pay more, but the promise is that what they are paying for is not simply education, but preparation for a future where every learner leaves with skills, confidence, and direction.
Across the country, the shift to senior school is no longer just an idea on paper. A number of schools and projects have already started laying the groundwork, giving a glimpse of what classrooms will look like next year.
In Nairobi, Pioneer Schools are already positioning themselves as front-runners in the Arts and Sports pathway. Their music halls, drama stages, and art studios are buzzing with activity, and students are being encouraged to blend creativity with academics. By the time senior school begins under the new curriculum, they will already have a full set of facilities ready for learners who dream of careers in fine arts, theatre, or athletics.
Other schools are embracing technology. Nairobi Primary School has rolled out a first-of-its-kind Virtual STEM Lab, allowing students to experiment with science and engineering concepts in a digital environment. While it serves younger learners for now, it is a clear investment in the kind of digital infrastructure that senior schools will need to run STEM pathways smoothly.
In Nandi County, the changes are visible in rural classrooms too. With support from Eastern Produce Kenya, schools such as Khartoum, Kipchamo, and Kipsitoi have had their science laboratories refurbished. Shiny new benches, microscopes, and lab kits now wait for learners who will soon move on to senior school. These investments mean that students in tea-growing regions will not be left behind as the country embraces modern science education.
Meanwhile, the School Equipment Production Unit has been quietly bridging gaps by rolling out mobile laboratories and converting empty classrooms into fully equipped science labs. At Muguga Green Primary in Nairobi and Hekima Learning Centre in Machakos, students no longer have to wait for permanent infrastructure; the labs come to them, ensuring that the spirit of practical science is alive everywhere.
The government has also made its intentions clear. All national schools will be expected to offer all three pathways—STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts & Sports—so that learners can access any subject combination regardless of where they are admitted. Already, principals in counties like Busia have undergone training on CBC implementation, preparing them to manage new subjects, assessments, and the transition to senior school.
Taken together, these examples paint a picture of a country in motion. Some schools are refurbishing labs, others are upgrading halls for the arts, while others are experimenting with digital learning. The changes are uneven, but the direction is unmistakable: senior schools are preparing to open their doors to a new kind of learner—one who will no longer just pass exams, but leave school with real skills, clear interests, and a stronger sense of the future.
By Hillary Muhalya
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