Starting in January 2026, students who are currently in Grade 9 will transition to senior high school in Grade 10 under the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). The admission process will be based on students’ interests, academic performance, and school availability.
How CBC Grade 9 Students Will Be Placed To Senior School.
To begin, each student will select 12 schools they would like to join, based on their preferred career path. The three main pathways to choose from are
1.Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) – This will be the most popular, with 60% of students placed here.
2.Arts and Sports Science – Focuses on creative and athletic careers, with 15% of students choosing this option.
3.Social Sciences – Covers subjects like business, history, and languages, and will accommodate 25% of students.
Placement in senior high school will consider performance in grade 6,7,8 and 9 as indicated below:
1. 20% from the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), taken in Grade 6.
2. 20% from School-Based Assessments (SBAs) in Grades 7, 8, and
3. 60% from Kenya Junior Secondary School Assessement {KJSEA} which will be done at the end of grade 9, October 27 to November 5.
As mentioned earlier each student will select 12 schools. The selection will be as follows:
- 7 schools for the first career pathway
- 3 Schools for the second career pathway
- 2 Schools for the third career pathway
Out of these 12 schools:-
9 will boarding schools: 4 from learners home county and 5 from outside learners home county,
3 schools will be day schools in their home county.
The Ministry will still issue guidelines on which Schools will offer which career pathway.
When choosing schools, students can apply to both day and boarding institutions. Those who select schools within their home county or sub-county will get priority. However, students who do not get placed in their chosen schools will be assigned to institutions offering their selected career pathway and subject combinations.
Additionally, top-performing students may be placed in prestigious schools, even outside their home regions, to help nurture their talents.
This new system ensures that students are placed in schools where they can develop their skills, follow their passions, and prepare for their future careers.
Betty is a qualified teacher with a Bachelor of Education (Arts). In addition, she is a registered Certified Public Accountant. She has been teaching and offering part-time accounting services for the last 10 years. She is passionate about education, accounting, writing, and traveling.