Ministry of Education Releases Guidelines for Grade 10 Learner Placement in Kenya
The Deputy Director of the Ministry of Education, Fred Odhiambo, has delineated the criteria that the ministry will adhere to in the placement of learners in Grade 10.
Addressing the audience on Wednesday, April 23, Odhiambo stated that the selection of senior schools for Grade 10 learners will be categorized based on the pathways and accommodations, which include day and hybrid senior schools, gender considerations, and special needs.
Learners, specifically those in the current Grade 9 cohort, are anticipated to transition to Grade 10 in 2026, which signifies the commencement of the senior school phase under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
In accordance with the CBC, the placement process for Grade 10 learners is predicated on their performance in the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA), which they are scheduled to undertake between October 27 and November 5, as well as their selected career pathways. The three pathways encompass Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Arts and Sports Science; and Social Sciences.
Senior schools under the CBC framework are classified as either triple pathway schools, which will provide all the pathways, or dual pathway schools, which offer STEM, arts and sports science, or social sciences.
According to Odhiambo, learners will have the opportunity to select 12 schools for their preferred pathways as follows: four schools in the first-choice track and subject combination, four schools in the second-choice subject combination, and four schools in the third-choice subject combination.
Of the 12 schools selected by the learners, nine should be boarding schools—comprising three from the learners’ home county and six from outside their home county—while three should be day schools situated within their home sub-county.
As articulated by Odhiambo, the placement of learners into Grade 10 for the upcoming year will be governed by five distinct factors.
At the forefront is the learners’ choice. The ministry will take into consideration the learners’ selection of pathways, tracks, subject combinations, and schools.
The second factor is merit, whereby the ministry will evaluate the learner’s academic performance in their Grade 9 assessment.
The third consideration involves psychometric tests, which encompass the learner’s aptitude, interest, and talent identification, to be conducted by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) in conjunction with the schools.
Fourth on the list is equity, wherein learners will be placed in schools based on regional balancing to guarantee that all learners have equitable access to institutions nationwide.
Finally, the placement of a learner will also be influenced by the resources and space available at the chosen school.