Ideally, learners in Junior School (Grade 7-9) should know new and old national schools in Kenya. They should also keep abreast of the latest elevation of schools to national status. More importantly, the policy document titled Guidelines for Selection and Placement for Learners to Senior Schools (2025) clearly states: Grade 9 learners in Junior School should select their preferred 12 Senior Schools before they sit to write the summative: Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA). Advisedly, in the selection process, 9 of the Senior Schools should be boarding Senior Schools – 3 from the learner’s home county, and 6 from outside their home county. The other 3 are day Senior Schools in their home sub-county of residence.
In the 8-4-4 System of Education, secondary schools exist(d) in four categories as national, extra-county, county and sub-county schools. But in the new dispensation of Competency-Based Education (CBE), in 2026 onwards, secondary schools evolved to Senior Schools. Therefore, existing as C1 (national), C2 (extra-county), C3 (county) and C4 (sub-county) schools.
Old National Schools in Kenya
There are close to 20 old national schools in Kenya. Most of the old national schools are nestled in Kiambu, Nairobi City and Nakuru Counties. In Kiambu County, they include: Alliance High School, Alliance Girls High School, Limuru Girls High School, Loreto High School-Limuru, Starehe Girls Centre, Mang’u High School and Mary Hill Girls High School. In Nairobi City County, they include: The Kenya High School, Starehe Boys School and Centre, Nairobi School, Lenana School, Moi Forces Academy and Pangani Girls High School. In Nakuru County, they include: Utumishi Boys Academy, Moi Forces-Lanet and Nakuru Boys High School. More schools that feature in the giant list of old national schools include: Moi Girls High School-Eldoret in Uasin-Gishu County and Maseno School in Kisumu County.
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2 National Schools Per County
After the existence of the old national schools, there is another cohort of national schools that sprouted when the government ensured that every county was to have at least two national schools; one for boys and the other one for girls. That cadre of national schools include: Mama Ngina Girls High School and Shimo-La-Tewa Boys High School in Mombasa County. Lamu Girls High School and Mpeketoni Boys High School in Lamu County. Bahari Girls High School and Ribe Boys High School in Kilifi County. Matuga Girls High School and Kwale Boys High School in Kwale County. Bura Girls High School and Kenyatta High School-Mwatate in Taita-Taveta County. Ngao Girls High School and Hola Boys High School in Tana River County.
Then, there is Nep Girls High School and Garissa Boys High School in Garissa County. Wajir Girls High School and Wajir Boys High School in Wajir County. Moi Girls High School-Mandera and Mandera Boys High School in Mandera County. Turkana Girls High School and Lodwar Boys High School in Turkana County. Tartar Girls High School and Chewoyet Boys High School in West Pokot County. Moi Girls High School-Marsabit and Moyale Boys High School in Marsabit County. Kisima Girls High School and Maralal Boys High School in Samburu County. Isiolo Girls High School and Garbatula Boys High School in Isiolo County.
Likewise, we have Muthale Girls High School and Kitui Boys High School in Kitui County. Siakago Girls High School and Moi Boys High School-Mbiruri in Embu County. Chogoria Girls High School and Ikuu Boys High School in Tharaka-Nithi County. St. Mary’s Girls High School-Igoji and Meru School in Meru County. Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girls High School and Kagumo High School in Nyeri County. Mugoiri Girls High School and Murang’a High School in Murang’a County. Kabare Girls High School and Baricho High School in Kirinyaga County. Karima Girls High School and Nyandarua High School in Nyandarua County. Njonjo Girls High School and Nanyuki Boys High School in Laikipia County.
By the same token, we have Nakuru Girls High School and Nakuru Boys High School in Nakuru County. Mbooni Girls High School and Makueni Boys High School in Makueni County. Kathiani Girls High School and Machakos School in Machakos County. Moi Girls High School-Isinya and Oloolaiser Boys High School in Kajiado County. Ole Tipis Girls High School and Kilgoris Boys High School in Narok County. Nyabururu Girls High School and Kisii School in Kisii County. Sironga Girls High School and Nyambaria Boys High School in Nyamira County. Kipsigis Girls High School and Kabianga High School in Kericho County. Ossen Girls High School and Baringo High School in Baringo County. Moi Girls High School-Kapsowar and St. Patrick’s Boys High School-Iten in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Withal, there is Moi Girls High School-Eldoret and Chebisas Boys High School in Uasin Gishu County. St. Joseph’s Chepterit Girls High School and Kapsabet Boys High School in Nandi County. Kisumu Girls High School in Kisumu County. Kaplong Girls High School and Tenwek Boys High School in Bomet County. St. Bridgids Girls High School-Kiminini and St. Joseph’s Boys High School in Trans-Nzoia County. Bunyore Girls High School and Chavakali High School in Vihiga County. Butere Girls High School and Kakamega School in Kakamega County. Lugulu Girls School and Friends School-Kamusinga in Bungoma County. Kolanya Girls High School and Butula Boys High School in Busia County. Ng’iya Girls High School and Maranda High School in Siaya County. Asumbi Girls High School and Mbita High School in Homa Bay County. Moi Girls High School-Nyabohanse and Kanga High School in Migori County.
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Elevation of More National Schools
In the recent past, there are some top extra-county schools that were elevated to national status. For instance, in Nyanza Region, the following schools were elevated to national status: St. Mary’s School-Yala, Sawagongo Boys High School, St. Francis’ Rang’ala Girls High School, St. Mary’s Lwak Girls High School and Ramba Boys High School in Siaya County; Kisumu School, Sinyolo Girls High School and Nyakach Girls High School in Kisumu County; Agoro Sare High School, Orero Boys High School, Bishop Linus Okok Girls High School, Ogande Girls High School and Homa Bay High School in Homa Bay County; St. Joseph’s High School-Rapogi, Kadika Girls High School, Tarang’anya High School and St. Albert Girls High School-Ulanda in Migori County; Kebirigo Boys High School in Nyamira County; Kereri Girls High School, Cardinal Otunga High School-Mosocho and Riokindo Boys High School in Kisii County.
In Western region, the following extra-county schools were uplifted to national status: Cardinal Otunga Girls High School, St. Mary’s Boys School-Kibabii and Moi Girls High School-Kamusinga in Bungoma County; Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls High School, Musingu Boys High School and St. Peter’s Boys High School-Mumias in Kakamega County; Nambale Boys High School in Busia and Lwanya Girls High School in Busia County; Keveye Girls High School and Nyang’ori Boys High School in Vihiga County.
New national schools in Ukambani region include: Precious Blood High School-Kilungu, St. Joseph’s Girls High School-Kibwezi, Makueni Girls High School, St. Alphonsa Kisau Girls High School, Mbooni Boys High School, Mukaa School and Matiliku Boys High School in Makueni County; St. Charles Lwanga Boys High School and Kimangao Girls High School in Kitui County; Machakos Girls High School and Tala Boys High School in Machakos County.
The new national schools at the Coast include: Ribe Girls High School, Malindi Boys High School, Kombeni Girls High School and Dr. Krapf Memorial School in Kilifi County; Dr. Aggrey Boys High School in Taita-Taveta County; Kinango Secondary School and Waa Boys High School in Kwale County.
In Mount Kenya Region, the new national schools include: Nyeri Boys High School and South Tetu Girls High School, Othaya Boys High School and Mahiga Girls High School in Nyeri County; St. Francis Girls High School-Mang’u, Thika Boys High School, Precious Blood High School-Kagwe, Kambui Girls High School and St. Anne’s Girls High School-Lioki in Kiambu County; Nyahururu High School, Gatero Girls High School and GG Rumuruti Boys High School in Laikipia County; Kianyaga Boys High School, Mutira Girls High School and St. Faustina Kerugoya Girls High School in Kirinyaga County; Njiiri School, Kahuhia Girls High School, Kamahuha Girls High School and Kiaguthu Boys High School in Murang’a County; Magomano Secondary School in Nyandarua County; Siakago Boys High School and Nyangwa Boys High School in Embu County; Chogoria Boys High School in Tharaka-Nithi County.
In Rift Valley Region, the new national schools include: Kabarnet High School, Kapropita Girls High School and Tambach Boys School in Baringo County; Kaplong Boys High School and Moi Siongiroi Girls High School in Bomet County; Noonkopir Girls High School and Olkejuado Boys High School in Kajiado County; Moi Tea Girls High School, Litein Boys High School, Litein Girls High School, Tengecha Boys High School and Tengecha Girls High School in Kericho County; Utumishi Girls Academy, Molo Academy, Bahati Girls High School, Mary Mount Girls High School and Jomo Kenyatta Boys High School; Meteitei Boys High School and Paul Boit Boys High School in Uasin-Gishu County; Kapenguria Boys High School and Nasokol Girls High School in West-Pokot County; Kapsabet Girls High School in Nandi County; Katilu Girls High School in Turkana County; St. Anthony Boys High School-Kitale in Trans-Nzoia County.
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New national schools in Nairobi City County include: Precious Blood-Riruta, Moi Girls High School-Nairobi, Buruburu Girls High School, St. Georges Girls High School and State House Girls High School.
Latest Elevation of National Schools
Finally, the latest schools elevated to national status include: Matungulu Girls High School in Machakos County, Nangina Girls High School in Busia County, and Maasai Girls School in Narok County.
By Victor Ochieng’
Victor is a career educator. He guides learners in Junior School (Grade 7-9) on Selection of Senior Schools, Pathways, Subject-Combinations, Career Choices and Preparation for KJSEA Assessments. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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