Kericho County is on the brink of achieving full transition to Grade 10 after recording a 96 per cent admission rate into Senior Secondary Schools, bringing it closer to the government’s target under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework.
The achievement leaves only four per cent of Grade 10 learners yet to be enrolled, as the Ministry of Education pushes for a 100 per cent transition following a recent government directive.
Education officials in the county say the remaining learners have already been identified and traced, with intensified efforts underway to ensure they report to senior schools by the end of the week.
Kericho Director of Education Julius Ngoneshi said 23,473 learners out of the 24,466 candidates who sat the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) have already resumed classes.
“We are working hand in hand with school heads, parents, and local administrators to track each learner individually and address any barriers that might prevent their transition,” Ngoneshi said.
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Addressing the press, the director assured that the education office had deployed special follow-up teams to closely monitor the remaining cases and ensure no learner falls through the cracks.
“At this point, we are at 96 per cent transition, which is a strong indicator that the systems we put in place are working. The few learners who are yet to report are known to us, and we are following up on each case to ensure full transition,” he added.
Data from the six sub-counties shows consistent performance across the county, with all regions recording transition rates above 94 per cent. Belgut Sub-County leads with a 98 per cent transition rate after placing 3,630 learners out of 3,701 candidates. Bureti Sub-County follows closely with 96 per cent, having admitted 5,252 learners from 5,491 candidates.
Kericho Sub-County has also recorded a 96 per cent transition rate, with 3,752 learners admitted out of 3,914 candidates. In Soin Sigowet Sub-County, 3,513 learners out of 3,688 have joined Grade 10, translating to 95 per cent, while Kipkelion Sub-County stands at 95 per cent after transitioning 3,557 learners from 3,723 candidates.
Londiani Sub-County has posted a 94.7 per cent transition rate, with 3,769 learners admitted out of 3,949 candidates.
Ngoneshi attributed the strong performance to early engagement with school heads and daily tracking of admissions.
“We engaged school heads early and kept track of admissions on a daily basis. This helped us to identify gaps quickly and respond in good time,” he said.
He dismissed concerns over capacity in senior secondary schools, noting that the remaining challenges were largely family-based.
“There are no capacity issues in our senior schools. What we are dealing with now are individual cases that require targeted intervention, particularly at the family level,” Ngoneshi explained.
The director also underscored the critical role played by National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) in strengthening follow-up efforts at the grassroots.
“Our collaboration with NGAO has been critical. Chiefs and assistant chiefs are helping us trace learners at the community level, while engaging parents and reinforcing the government’s position that every learner must transition to Grade 10,” he said.
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According to Ngoneshi, barazas and home visits by local administrators have helped resolve cases that could have otherwise resulted in learners dropping out of the education system.
“When the message comes from both the education office and the local administration, it carries weight. Parents understand that this is a national policy and not a suggestion,” he noted.
Ngoneshi reaffirmed the county’s commitment to the Ministry of Education’s policy on continuity of learning under the CBE system, expressing confidence that Kericho will achieve full transition within the set timelines.
“We are in the final phase of this exercise. By the end of the week, we expect to have achieved 100 per cent transition to Grade 10,” he said.
With transition levels already exceeding 95 per cent across all sub-counties, Kericho County appears poised to meet national expectations, reinforcing its commitment to ensuring that no learner is left behind as the senior school pathway under the Competency-Based Education system takes full effect.
Kimutai Langat
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