Over 5,000 senior secondary schools fail to attract a single Grade 9 Applicant
More than 5,000 senior secondary schools in Kenya have failed to attract any applicants in the ongoing Grade 10 selection process, signaling a major concern in the country’s rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Out of the 9,750 schools registered under the new system, only 4,564 managed to receive applications from Grade 9 students seeking placement in January 2026.
The alarming figure was revealed as the Ministry of Education concluded the first phase of senior school selections under the new 2-6-3-3 system. The digital selection portal was open from June 9 to July 15, 2025, allowing Grade 9 students to choose their preferred schools and career pathways.
Under the CBC reforms, schools have been categorized into clusters rather than the traditional national, extra-county, and sub-county classifications. This new approach allows students to select 12 schools across four clusters while choosing a specific academic pathway: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Social Sciences, or Arts and Sports Science.
Each learner was required to select subject combinations aligned with their chosen pathway. Placement will be based on academic performance, personal interests, continuous assessments, and psychometric evaluations, with 60% weight given to the Grade 9 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).
Reasons Behind the Mass Snub
Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr. Julius Jwan attributed the low selection in thousands of schools to inadequate facilities, poor visibility, and lack of information dissemination. Many of the schools that did not receive applications are small, have outdated infrastructure, or are located in remote areas that are less appealing to students and parents.
Dr. Jwan emphasized that reputation and pathway offerings were also key factors. Schools that lack capacity to offer all three CBC pathways—especially STEM—are less attractive to students. Additionally, some institutions failed to properly register their pathway capabilities on the Ministry’s online portal, disqualifying them from being listed as options.
Call for Action
The Ministry has acknowledged the imbalance and promised to address the challenges through targeted interventions. These may include infrastructural improvements, additional staffing, and better public awareness about available schools and their academic offerings. A policy dialogue is also underway to determine how to make under-selected schools more competitive in the CBC era.
Education experts have warned that unless these disparities are addressed urgently, the CBC rollout could further entrench inequality in the education sector. They argue that while the system is designed to nurture diverse talents and offer flexible academic paths, it risks excluding schools and students that lack adequate support or information.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Ministry of Education are expected to collaborate on ensuring equitable placement and improving the readiness of schools that failed to attract applicants. Emphasis will also be placed on strengthening school infrastructure, especially in rural and marginalized areas.
As the country gears up for the full implementation of senior secondary education under the CBC, the selection process will serve as a critical learning curve for policymakers, educators, and parents alike. The ultimate goal remains to ensure that every learner has access to quality education, regardless of their location or background.
