Government Announces Date For Grade 9 School Selection, Unveils New Transition Guidelines

The Ministry of Education has announced that Grade 9 learners across the country will officially begin selecting their preferred Senior Secondary Schools on May 20.

This significant move was revealed on Thursday, April 24, by Education Principal Secretary (PS) Dr. Julius Jwan during his address at the National Convention on Competency-Based Education, held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC).

This early start to the school selection process marks a strategic shift by the government to ensure a smooth and efficient transition from Junior Secondary School (JSS) to Senior Secondary School (SSS), which begins at Grade 10 under the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

The CBC, which is gradually replacing the traditional 8-4-4 system, emphasizes learner-centered education, flexibility, and the development of core competencies aligned with learners’ talents, interests, and future career goals.

Dr. Jwan emphasized that the selection exercise will be heavily supported by technology to enhance accuracy, transparency, and ease of access for both learners and their guardians.

Read Also: Education Ministry Reinstates Mathematics As A Compulsory Subject

“We are making deliberate efforts to integrate technology into the transition process to ensure that every learner has a fair opportunity to access a school that aligns with their abilities and aspirations,” he stated.

The government has introduced a new structure for categorizing Senior Secondary Schools based on thematic pathways. According to Deputy Director of Education Fred Odhiambo, schools will be grouped into three main learning pathways:

1. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
2. Social Sciences and Humanities
3. Creative Arts and Sports, which includes Performing Arts, Music, and Athletics.

This pathway-based approach is designed to align students’ academic journeys with their passions and career interests from an earlier stage, setting them up for better outcomes in higher education and the job market.

During the selection process, each learner will be required to choose a total of 12 schools. Out of these, nine must be boarding schools, with at least three from their home county to ensure regional equity and accessibility.

The remaining three schools will be day schools, all of which must be located within the learner’s home sub-county. This ensures that students who may not be able to attend boarding school still have access to quality education options close to home.

The announcement comes amid broader reforms in the education sector, with the Ministry making adjustments to curriculum requirements and school operations under the CBC.

In a related development, Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Ogamba issued a directive on the same day requiring the reintroduction of mathematics as a compulsory subject in Senior Secondary Schools, a reversal from earlier plans that had made the subject optional depending on a student’s pathway.

Under the new directive, students pursuing the STEM pathway will study pure mathematics, while those in the Humanities and Creative Arts pathways will take a simplified version of the subject. The CS emphasized the importance of foundational mathematical literacy across all disciplines.

“We will have the STEM pathways taking pure maths, and the other two pathways having a form of maths, so that we have maths in all three pathways in senior school,” Ogamba said.

Initially, the CBC guidelines had proposed that mathematics be an optional subject for certain learning areas in senior school — a notable departure from the 8-4-4 curriculum, where mathematics was mandatory for all students.

However, this change sparked concern among educators and stakeholders who argued that eliminating mathematics for some students could disadvantage them in the long run, especially in an increasingly data-driven world.

The new guidelines for school selection and curriculum adjustment reflect the government’s commitment to refining the CBC implementation process in response to stakeholder feedback. It also signals a broader effort to make education in Kenya more inclusive, responsive, and future-oriented.

Parents and guardians are advised to begin preparing with their children for the May 20 selection date, as schools and education officials prepare to roll out sensitization campaigns to guide the process.

The Ministry is expected to release detailed guidelines on how learners will access the online selection platform and the criteria for school placement in the coming days.

As the country continues its education reforms, these changes represent a crucial step toward equipping Kenya’s youth with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for success in the 21^st century.

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