For decades, admission to Kenya’s top secondary schools – especially national schools – was largely determined by raw academic scores. Learners who scored 400 marks and above in KCPE were almost guaranteed placement in elite institutions, while those with lower marks were directed to day schools near their homes. However, the transition to Competency-Based Education (CBE) has deliberately dismantled this tradition.
This system, though familiar, entrenched inequality and often rewarded access to privilege as much as actual ability.
As the first cohort of learners transitions to Grade 10, senior school principals, parents and the wider public must understand that the rules of engagement have fundamentally changed – not by accident, but by policy design.
Under CBE, attaining Exceeding Expectations in all nine learning areas at Junior School does not automatically qualify a learner for admission to a Cluster One or national school.
Placement is anchored on demonstrated competencies in specific learning areas aligned to defined career pathways. This represents a decisive shift from ranking learners by aggregate scores to placing them according to aptitude, interest, and potential.
In recent days, public debate has intensified. Some parents are questioning why learners perceived to have performed “very well” were not placed in their preferred schools, while others with seemingly lower overall performance secured slots in top institutions. Such reactions are understandable given our long history with marks-based selection, but they miss the core purpose of CBE.
The critical question we must confront is this: Is quality education meant only for children from elite schools, or is it a right for all learners?
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Equity cannot be achieved if access to prestigious schools is determined solely by accumulated advantages such as private tuition, superior facilities and early exposure. CBE seeks to correct this historical imbalance.
Contrary to popular belief, the placement outcomes were not arbitrary. During public participation forums held in March, the government was transparent about the fact that Grade 9 assessments were designed for placement, not ranking. Junior School learning areas were deliberately clustered into pathways and tracks to form the foundation for Senior School subject selection.
Under this framework, learners are not expected to excel in all nine learning areas. Instead, they are expected to demonstrate strong competencies in learning areas relevant to their intended career pathway. A learner in a public school, for instance, may struggle in several learning areas due to contextual challenges yet demonstrate exceptional competency in three learning areas aligned to a specific pathway. Such a learner may justifiably be placed in a top national school ahead of another learner who performed on average across all nine learning areas.
This approach underscores a core principle of CBE: competency matters more than comparison.
Parents must come to terms with a hard truth – the era of marks, points and percentages is over.
CBE does not promote competition between learners; instead, learners compete against their own progress benchmarks and learning goals. Practices such as converting competencies into percentages or parading school mean scores belong to the defunct 8-4-4 system. Schools that persist in these practices have not fully embraced educational reform.
Learners were assessed on what they could demonstrate, not how they ranked against others. This distinction is central to understanding both placement outcomes and the future of learning in Senior School.
As pioneer learners enter Grade 10, senior principals must internalise several critical realities.
First, admission is now subject-based rather than stream-based.
Learners are joining the Senior School to pursue specific subjects grouped into codes aligned with clearly defined pathways. For example, the STEM Pathway will include the following coding:
ST10 is Pure Sciences, ST20 is Applied Sciences, and ST30 is Technical and Engineering, while the Social Sciences pathways have SS10 for Languages and SS20 for the Humanities and Business Studies. On its part, the Arts and Sports Science pathway has AS10 for Art and the AS20 for Sports Science.
Each learner has been assigned a subject code. The traditional model of admitting learners into uniform streams such as “Form 1 East” or “Form 1 West” is obsolete. Schools must now organise learners around pathways and codes, not fixed streams.
Second, timetabling must fundamentally change. Senior School timetables should resemble those used in universities. There will be common learning areas for all learners: English, Kiswahili, Essential/Core Mathematics, Physical Education, and Community Service Learning. Beyond these, subjects will run concurrently. While Geography is being taught, Chemistry, Fine Arts or Technical subjects may be happening at the same time. Learners will follow their pathways rather than remain in static classes.
This demands careful planning, adequate staffing, infrastructure flexibility and – most importantly – a mindset shift among administrators and teachers.
Third, former national schools must rethink their identity. Success in Senior School will no longer be defined by enrolling only the highest scorers. It will be measured by how effectively schools nurture specialised competencies, support diverse talents and prepare learners for clearly defined career pathways.
Grade 10 marks the beginning of a new education culture – one that prioritises purpose over prestige, equity over elitism and competence over competition. Senior principals who understand and embrace this shift will lead institutions that thrive in the CBE era. Those who resist it risk remaining trapped in a system that no longer exists.
By Polycap Ateto
Polycap is a passionate educator of long standing and a CBE champion.
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