How Students Will Be Placed In Senior School As CBC Moves Into Final Phase

As the 2025 academic year draws to a close, Kenya is set to mark a historic milestone in its education system. Grade 9 learners, the pioneer cohort under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), will transition into Senior School, a significant shift that represents the final phase of basic education within the CBC framework.

This development not only underscores the ongoing transformation of Kenya’s education landscape but also signals the culmination of a journey that began in January 2017 when the government introduced CBC to replace the long-standing 8-4-4 system.

The CBC system was launched to align education with the demands of the 21^st century. It focuses on nurturing learners’ talents, skills, and interests rather than purely academic achievement.

Now, eight years after its introduction, the first batch of learners, those who began in Grade 1 in 2017, are preparing to enter Senior School, which comprises Grades 10, 11, and 12. In November 2025, these Grade 9 learners will sit for the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA).

This will mark the first national examination conducted at the Junior School level under the CBC, serving as a key summative assessment in the learner’s academic journey.

LThe KJSEA is a comprehensive national assessment developed and administered by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). It will account for 60% of the learners’ final marks at the Junior School level. The remaining 40% will be derived from school-based assessments that learners have undertaken throughout their Junior Secondary education in Grades 7, 8, and 9.

These school-based assessments evaluate learners’ progress in a variety of learning areas and practical activities, reflecting the CBC’s emphasis on continuous and formative assessment. The combination of these two components ensures a holistic evaluation of each learner’s academic growth, skills, and potential.

Once the KJSEA results are released, learners will be placed into Senior Schools based on a number of criteria, the most significant being their individual performance and interests as indicated in the assessment results and questionnaires dispatched by KNEC.

These questionnaires are designed to gauge learners’ strengths, personalities, and areas of interest, helping to guide placement in one of three career pathways offered under the CBC.

These pathways are:

1. Arts and Sports Science
2. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
3. Social Sciences

Each of these pathways contains several “tracks” or learning areas, which are equivalent to subject combinations under the old system. Arts and Sports Science includes Performing Arts, Sports, and Visual Arts.

STEM comprises Pure Science, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering, and Career and Technical Studies (CTS). Social Sciences offers Humanities, Business Studies, and Language and Literature.

The goal is to ensure learners pursue a path that best aligns with their capabilities and future aspirations, be it in the arts, sciences, or humanities.

A major departure from the 8-4-4 system is the elimination of the long-standing categorisation of schools into national, extra-county, county, and sub-county institutions. Under CBC, this classification will no longer determine school placement.

Instead, learners will be placed into Senior Schools depending on the career pathway they qualify for and the capacity of schools to support that pathway, in terms of both infrastructure and staffing. While well-resourced national schools may be able to offer all three career pathways, some extra-county or county schools may only be equipped to support one or two.

The government is expected to upgrade facilities in various institutions to accommodate the new Senior School requirements, although implementation will vary by region.

While academic performance and learner interest are primary considerations, other logistical and policy-driven factors will influence where students are placed.

Placement

Proximity to Home: In line with CBC’s inclusivity goals, learners will be placed in schools closest to their homes whenever possible. This approach, already applied during the Junior Secondary phase (Grades 7 to 9), is meant to reduce travel and boarding costs for families and encourage community engagement in education.

Availability of Slots: Learners’ placements will also be subject to the availability of spaces in schools that support their preferred career pathways. Regions with more developed infrastructure and a higher number of schools will be better positioned to accommodate a larger number of learners.

Equity and Inclusion: The CBC emphasizes equal opportunities for all learners, regardless of gender or background. Consequently, gender-exclusive schools will be phased out, and co-educational learning environments will become the norm. Placement will be driven by career fit, not gender segregation.

Regional and Geographical Balance: To promote national cohesion and equal access to education, the government will also consider regional balance during placement. This means efforts will be made to ensure all learners, regardless of their home county, have fair access to quality education within their locality.

One of the defining features of the CBC is its focus on recognizing and nurturing individual talent. In line with this, the Ministry of Education and KNEC are implementing systems to identify learners with special aptitudes, such as athletic ability, artistic talent, or proficiency in scientific thinking.

By aligning such learners with schools equipped with the necessary facilities and programs, the education system aims to optimize their potential and provide them with an environment in which they can thrive. This talent-driven placement is especially important in fields like sports, performing arts, and advanced sciences, where specialized support can make a significant difference in a learner’s future prospects.

The upcoming transition marks a critical point in Kenya’s education reforms. As the pioneer CBC cohort moves into Senior School, the nation will be watching closely to evaluate the strengths and challenges of the system’s final phase.

The implementation of KJSEA, career pathway placements, and the shift away from rigid school categorization represent bold steps toward an education system that is more learner-centered, talent-driven, and future-ready.

Parents, educators, and policymakers alike will play essential roles in ensuring that this historic transition is both smooth and meaningful. The journey of these Grade 9 learners is not just a personal milestone—it is a national statement of Kenya’s commitment to transforming education for generations to come.

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