The Ministry of Education has assured parents and the country that all the current 1.2 million grade 9 learners will transition to senior school in January 2026.
Basic education Principal Secretary, PS Amb. Prof. Julius Bitok said teams at the ministry were working round the clock putting in place comprehensive guidelines and modalities that will ensure every grade nine learner gets an opportunity in senior school.
“We are giving every child a chance, irrespective of the grades they attain at grade 9, everybody must go to senior school to pursue their choice subjects,” said the PS.
This will be the most single challenging issue in our curriculum-based education, CBE considering it’s the first time we are transitioning all the 1.2m grade 9 students to senior school, said the PS but assured that every student will be able to get a space in senior schools.
The PS gave the assurance when he launched infrastructure projects in various schools in Turbo constituency constructed with support from the NG-CDF. He was accompanied by the area member of parliament Janet Sitienei.
He said the ministry decided to start the process early for students in junior school to select their career paths and subject clusters with support from their teachers in consultations with parents so that come January 2026, all the 1.2m will be able to get space in senior school.
Grade 9 students are currently applying for senior schools that have been categorized into four clusters, with cluster 1 comprising 255 former national schools, cluster 2 formerly extra county school has 755 schools, cluster 3 comprising 1300 former county schools, and cluster 4 comprising 7250 former days schools and sub-county schools.
The government, he added, decided to employ a technology-based system that all secondary schools have been able to upload so that students and their parents, with assistance from the teachers, can log on to, selection.education.go.ke to choose their pathways and subject combination, said Amb. Bitok.
“I want to ask parents and students in junior school to use the opportunity to make their choices in readiness for senior school in January 2026,” urged the PS.
On school infrastructure, the PS said the government will construct 1600 laboratories across the country between July and December this year as part of its commitment to ensure quality education.
“The government is doing all it can to ensure our children get quality education. That is why two weeks ago we managed to release Sh. 2 billion in capitation to support schools in their management,” he added.
He said though they have had challenges in disbursing capitation to schools due to exchequer issues, they will continue to liaise with the national treasury to ensure that in the future funds set aside for education reach schools on time.
Amb. Bitok added that the ministry will continue strengthening the Kenya Education Management Information System, KEMIS, to assist in ensuring every school in Kenya receives funding according to the number of students they have.
The PS lauded stakeholders in the education sector for their continued support saying education should not be viewed as the sole responsibility of the national government. “The development of education calls for concerted effort, The national government, county government, NG-CDF, education investors and the religious sector, among other players, contribute to the development of education,” he added.
The government is committed to continuously improving infrastructure in public schools to ensure no learners will ever again undertake their studies under mud-walled structures or trees, said the PS, adding that it was time schools embraced infrastructural modernity.
Learning will greatly improve if it is undertaken in a good environment. He reiterates that mud wall structures have no place in the modern world and promises to eliminate them across the country, replacing them with modern schools. He said the Ministry of Education will join hands with all stakeholders in the modernization of schools
Among the schools the PS visited included Kaplelach, Cheremei, Kapsaos, and St. Paul Sambut Secondary School.
By Kiptanui Cherono
