The Ministry of Education has commenced the placement of grade nine students into senior school under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), following a key stakeholders’ meeting led by Sub- County Director of education Jane Murimi of Kajiado North.
Grade nine learners transitioning to senior schools undergo a placement process based on their performance in the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) and School-Based Assessments (SBAs).
During the meeting convened by the Teachers Service Commission officials, Sub-County Director of education, head teachers, and teachers from different schools were taken through the placement criteria and transition process into senior schools.
The Director assured stakeholders that the government was committed to ensuring a smooth and equitable placement of all learners.
“This placement is based on learners’ performance and the pathways they have chosen whether Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Arts and Sports Science, or social sciences,” said Muriimi, adding that the transition is not only based on academic but also talent-driven, which is what CBC aims to achieve
The KJSEA national exam taken by Grade 9 students, contributes 60 percent to student’s placement score while the SBA assessments conducted throughout Grades Seven and Eight, contribute 40 percent to the final score.
The combined score then determines a student’s overall placement score, which is used to place students into senior schools based on their performance and chosen pathways.
The Director emphasized that placement of the students will be based on the selection, on the date which will be communicated by the Ministry of Education.
“Parental input will also be considered in the placement where they will encourage the students to run through pathways and tracks, they are comfortable in”, she added.
Murimi further confirmed that the Ministry of Education will be monitoring and regulating the placement of students, a process that started earlier on in handling important components.
The first one was mapping of schools, identification of schools, declarations of spaces in these schools, selection and then finally placement of learners.
She emphasized that categorization will not affect government capitation, but it will continue with specification of each student. They are waiting for further guidance on how capitation will be done in senior schools.
The Director further noted that schools will be evaluated and upgraded to fit in to certain categories through starting ambitious program of making sure that they have good infrastructure by building good laboratories after the government is done with mapping of all schools based on needs.
Douglas Asati, Center Manager currently teaching in Ongata Rongai school, explained that he’s ready prepared to handle the new transition under the CBC since they have gone through training and internal consultations from the ministry.
“The government has provided resources like laboratories and trained teachers in the school, providing adequate support to the school administration to ease the transition process. Training of stakeholders, from parents and teachers to everyone involved, will smoothen the transition,” said Asati.
The grade 10 transition is a significant milestone in the implementation of the CBC, marking the first cohort of students moving from junior secondary to senior school. CBC was introduced to replace the 8-4-4 system and aims to equip learners with practical skills.
The meeting was graced by Kajiado North Deputy County Commissioner Yusuf Mohammed and Deputy County Commander Tom Achiya.
By Faith Michael
