Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has confirmed that 88 per cent of learners have secured placement in Grade 10 of Senior School following the conclusion of the placement review process. The announcement follows a transition under the Competency-Based Curriculum that began with the initial placement exercise conducted between December 14 and 19, 2025, and was followed by a window for learners to seek a review of their outcomes.
The Ministry opened the review platform from December 23 to 29, 2025, receiving 355,457 applications, with each learner allowed to file up to four requests.
After evaluation, 211,636 applications were approved, while the remainder were declined due to capacity limits and programme constraints across schools. Ogamba noted that many denials stemmed from a lack of preferred subject combinations and limited slots in highly sought-after institutions.
Demand was especially intense at top national schools, where some received up to 20,000 applications despite having an average of only 500 places.
Ogamba cited Alliance High School, Kenya High School and Mang’u High School as examples of the pressure placed on admissions during the review phase.
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Placement data reflects strong uptake of science-oriented learning, with 51 per cent of learners assigned to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics pathway. A further 38 per cent were placed in Social Sciences, while 11 per cent joined the Arts and Sports Science pathway, aligning with CBC’s emphasis on nurturing diverse talents and career trajectories.
To support families still seeking changes, the Ministry will open a final review window from January 6 to 9, 2026. Ogamba urged learners to make choices that match school capacity and subject availability to improve the likelihood of approval during this last opportunity.
Joining instructions are available for download on the placement portal effective December 30, 2025, and parents and guardians are encouraged to access them early to facilitate a smooth transition into Senior School. The Cabinet Secretary reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to a fair, transparent and learner-centred process as Kenya progresses into the Senior School phase of the CBC.
By Our Reporter
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