The government is rapidly advancing the move of students from Grade 9 to Grade 10, with Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba reporting that 85 per cent of eligible learners have now enrolled in senior secondary schools.
Ogamba acknowledged that introducing the new system came with logistical and administrative challenges, but noted that education officers and school administrators have been working closely to bridge the remaining gaps.
“We have experienced some challenges in the transition from Grade 9 to Grade 10 since it is a new system, but we have managed to ensure that 85 per cent of the students who were expected to report have already done so,” he said.
Speaking on Citizen TV on Tuesday, the CS said efforts are still underway to locate and enrol the remaining learners.
“The actual number of students who have enrolled is over 900,000. This does not include students who have reported in private schools, whose data we are still collecting, and those who are not transitioning. We anticipate that by the end of Wednesday, we will probably be over 90 per cent and hope to get to 100 per cent by the end of this week,” he added.
According to Ogamba, ministry field teams have been working with county and sub-county education officers to resolve issues related to school timetables, student placements, and infrastructure challenges linked to the reforms.
The Grade 9 to 10 move forms a critical stage of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) rollout, which restructures upper secondary education into academic, technical, and vocational tracks. Achieving a 100 per cent transition rate remains a central goal of the government’s education reforms.
Ogamba credited the progress to targeted interventions, including door-to-door tracing exercises led by chiefs and National Government Administrative Officers.
“We are taking decisive steps to ensure that every eligible learner moves seamlessly from Grade 9 to Grade 10. Our vision is to create an education system where all students, regardless of their background, have equal opportunities to succeed,” he said during an interview on Capital FM.
A report released on Sunday, January 18, by NGAOs and county education directors showed that by the original reporting deadline of January 16, only 61 per cent of the pioneer CBC cohort had transitioned to senior secondary schools. At that point, about 440,000 KJSEA graduates had not joined schools—a situation the government considered unsustainable as it pushes for full enrollment.
The report cited financial difficulties, early pregnancy cases, absenteeism, learner reluctance, and delays in placement as key reasons for the slow uptake.
In response, the Ministry of Education extended the reporting deadline to Wednesday, January 21, and rolled out a multi-pronged approach to re-engage students. Initiatives included bursary programs and other sponsorship interventions to assist families facing financial challenges.
Chiefs were directed to map households and conduct door-to-door follow-ups to identify learners yet to report. Community awareness forums were also held through barazas, religious institutions, and other local platforms to mobilise parents and guardians.
