The Ministry of Education (MoE) has completed the placement of more than 1.5 million learners into senior secondary schools following the release of the 2025 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) results, marking a significant milestone in Kenya’s ongoing education reforms under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
In a statement released on 30 December 2025, the Cabinet Secretary for Education confirmed that a total of 1,516,340 learners transitioning from Grade 9 to Grade 10 had been successfully placed in senior schools across the country. The exercise followed the release of the final KPSEA results and placement outcomes on 23 December 2025, paving the way for the first full transition of learners into senior school under the CBE framework.
According to the ministry, 756,354 learners were placed in public senior secondary schools, while 759,986 learners were assigned to private senior schools. The near-equal distribution between public and private institutions reflects the increasingly central role private schools are playing in supporting the government’s education reforms. Officials noted that the partnership between the two sectors has become critical in addressing capacity constraints as learner numbers continue to rise.
The Cabinet Secretary stated that the placement process was conducted through a centralized, technology-driven system designed to uphold fairness, transparency, and equity. Learners were matched to schools based on a combination of academic performance, individual school choices, gender balance, regional considerations, and the capacity of institutions to effectively deliver approved CBE pathways.
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“The ministry is encouraged by the outcome of the placement exercise, which ensured that the vast majority of learners were assigned to schools aligned with their preferences and abilities,” the Cabinet Secretary said in the statement.
The ministry disclosed that 98.3 per cent of learners were placed in at least one of their preferred choices, an outcome that education officials described as a strong indicator of the efficiency of the placement system. However, the statement acknowledged that a small percentage of learners were placed in alternative institutions due to limited spaces in highly subscribed senior schools, particularly in urban centres and established national schools.
Under the CBE system, senior secondary education marks a critical phase in learner development. Unlike the previous system, CBE emphasizes skills acquisition, creativity, problem-solving, and learner-centred pathways. At the senior school level, learners are expected to specialize in pathways aligned with their talents, interests, and career aspirations, including arts and sports science, social sciences, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Education experts say the successful placement of learners into senior schools is essential to the credibility and sustainability of CBE. A smooth transition reassures parents, teachers, and learners that the system can handle large-scale reforms while maintaining quality and equity.
Parents and guardians have been advised to access individual placement details through the Ministry of Education’s official online portal. The ministry further indicated that reporting dates, admission letters, and school-specific guidelines would be communicated directly by the respective senior schools to ensure orderly reporting.
County education directors have also been instructed to work closely with school administrators to support learners, particularly those transitioning to schools far from home or entering newly established senior secondary institutions.
While the placement exercise has been widely welcomed, education stakeholders have raised concerns about infrastructure readiness in some public senior schools. With the number of learners increasing annually, analysts argue that sustained investment in classrooms, laboratories, workshops, and teacher training is necessary to fully realize the goals of CBE.
Teacher unions and education professionals have repeatedly called for accelerated recruitment and retraining of teachers to match the demands of the new curriculum. Senior school under CBE requires specialized instruction, practical learning environments, and continuous assessment, all of which place additional demands on educators.
Private schools, on the other hand, have been urged to maintain quality and adhere strictly to government standards as their role in CBE delivery expands. The Ministry of Education has assured parents that all schools participating in the placement exercise meet the minimum requirements for senior secondary education under the CBE framework.
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As Kenya continues its transition from traditional exam-centred education to a competency-based approach, the placement of Grade 10 learners represents more than an administrative process. It is a test of the country’s preparedness to nurture a generation equipped with relevant skills for higher education, employment, and national development.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to continuous improvement of the placement process and the broader CBE system, noting that feedback from parents, schools, and education stakeholders would be used to refine future transitions.
With learners preparing to report to senior secondary schools in the coming weeks, the government has called on parents, educators, and community leaders to support students during this critical stage of their educational journey. Officials emphasized that the success of CBE depends not only on policy and infrastructure, but also on collective responsibility and collaboration across all levels of society.
As the first cohorts of learners fully experience senior school under Competency-Based Education, the outcomes of this transition are expected to shape the future of Kenya’s education system for decades to come.
By Hillary Muhalya
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