- Parents are urged to prioritise pathway suitability and learner interests over chasing prestigious C1 school placements during the Grade 10 transition.
- There should be collaboration between learners, parents and teachers in career guidance, alongside fair distribution of resources across C1, C2, C3 and C4 schools.
- Senior School success should be measured by learning opportunities and competency development, not merely by securing a place in a C1 institution.
The transition of Grade 9 learners to Senior School is approaching, and with it comes the familiar anxiety among parents about where their children will be placed. For some families, the biggest concern is securing a place in a C1 school. The assumption that C1 schools are automatically better than C2, C3 or C4 institutions is understandable, given the reputation some schools have built over the years. However, as the country implements Competency-Based Education, we need to look at Senior School placement differently. The question should not simply be “which school is the best?” It should be “which school and pathway are best suited to my child?” This is an important distinction.
The Ministry of Education has provided guidelines to guide the selection and placement of Grade 9 learners into Senior School. Learners are expected to make choices based on their interests, abilities and preferred pathways, while school capacity and available facilities are also considered. Parents should therefore resist the temptation to turn the exercise into a competition for a few popular schools. Every parent naturally wants the best for their child, but the best school is not necessarily the one with the highest profile. A learner who has a strong interest in science and technology needs an environment that can nurture those abilities. Another may have exceptional talent in the arts, sports or the social sciences. Forcing learners into pathways simply because they are perceived to be prestigious may defeat one of the key intentions of the new education system.
Parents have a major role in shaping their children’s future, but learners should also be heard. The choice of a pathway should involve honest conversations among the learner, parents and teachers, who have interacted with these learners for years and, in many cases, understand their strengths, weaknesses, interests and potential. Career guidance should therefore not be treated as an occasional activity conducted when examinations are approaching; it should be part of the transition process. A learner should understand what a particular pathway entails, the subjects involved and the opportunities it can open up in future, while parents, too, need reliable information before making decisions on behalf of their children. This calls for closer collaboration between schools and families.
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The debate on placement cannot be separated from the question of resources. Parliament has raised concerns about the capacity of schools to accommodate growing numbers of learners, including shortages of teachers, infrastructure and adequate funding. These concerns deserve serious attention as more learners enter Senior School. If the Government wants parents to have confidence in C1, C2, C3 and C4 schools, then there must be a deliberate effort to ensure that resources are distributed fairly. It would be difficult to convince parents that all schools can provide meaningful opportunities if some institutions have well-equipped laboratories, adequate classrooms, ICT facilities and sufficient teachers while others struggle with basic requirements. The Government’s responsibility is therefore not only to place learners; it must also make sure that the schools receiving them are prepared to provide quality learning. The Ministry of Education has been preparing for the implementation of the new curriculum through teacher training, curriculum development, infrastructure and other measures, and that preparation must continue as the system moves from policy to full implementation.
There is nothing wrong with a parent preferring a particular school. The problem arises when school categories become a measure of a child’s worth or prospects. We should be careful not to create a situation where learners and parents feel that admission to a C1 school is the only evidence of success. A school becomes meaningful when it provides the right environment for a learner to grow. Good teachers, effective leadership, discipline, adequate facilities, mentorship and a supportive community can make a profound difference in a learner’s life. Parents should therefore be encouraged to consider the pathway being offered, the learner’s interests, the school’s capacity and the quality of support available, rather than focusing only on the category attached to the school.
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Teachers will be at the centre of this transition, and their preparedness will determine, to a large extent, whether the policy works as intended. They need continuous professional development and clear information on pathways, assessment, career opportunities and the expectations of Senior School. Schools should also organise meaningful guidance meetings for learners and parents, which would help address misconceptions and allow families to seek clarification before making their choices. The transition should be based on informed decisions, not rumours, social media discussions or pressure from friends and relatives.
As the country prepares for the next phase of education reforms, there is a need for shared responsibility. Parents should follow the Ministry’s guidelines and give their children an opportunity to pursue pathways that match their abilities and passions. Learners should take the choices seriously and participate actively in the process. Teachers should provide honest professional guidance, and school leaders should prepare their institutions for the learners they will receive. Most importantly, the Government must ensure that resources follow the learners. The success of Senior School should not be determined by whether a learner secured a C1 place; it should be determined by whether that learner received an opportunity to learn, develop a talent, acquire competencies and prepare for a productive future. As Grade 9 learners make this important transition, perhaps it is time to move away from the old culture of competing for school names and begin competing for something more important: the best possible opportunities for every learner.
By Astiba Kebong’o jackiekebongo@gmail.com
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