Hard truths. Bold Insights. Real talk.
President Ruto has pledged Sh44 billion for school transition, 10,000 acres of land allocation, Sh1.5 billion for power connections and Sh390 million for a new market in Narok County.
Kenya has 204 national schools (Cluster One), 692 extra-county schools (Cluster Two), 1,373 county schools (Cluster Three), and 7,234 sub-county schools (Cluster Four), the largest and lowest-ranked group.
A total of 1,130,459 learners sat the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), including 578,630 boys, representing 51.19 per cent, and 551,829 girls, making up 48.81 per cent. Learners who recorded an “Approaching Expectation” outcome are scheduled to report to senior school in Grade 10 on January 12, 2026, where they will pursue studies in STEM, Social Sciences, or Arts and Sports
The approval notice, released on Tuesday, December 23, confirms curriculum support materials that meet required standards for senior school learners. It also outlines how learning at this level will be organised, with Grade 10 learners expected to undertake seven learning areas that combine compulsory subjects with selected options.
Out of 2,968 candidates who sat for the exams, 1,835 regular and 1,133 retakes, women consistently achieved higher pass rates across most subjects. Among regular candidates, female students scored between 55.5% and 58.5%, while male students managed between 41.5% and 44.5%.
In a statement on Sunday, the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Julius K. Bitok, confirmed that the placement exercise was conducted through an automated system designed to ensure merit, equity, and fairness.
The former President congratulated the graduands on their hard work and praised Kabarak University for fostering excellence, ethical leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit. He highlighted the vision of the late President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, noting that the university continues to uphold its founding principles of faith, service, and academic excellence.
CS Ogamba acknowledged that the recent strike by university staff, though disruptive, brought attention to valid concerns over delayed salary payments and contract implementation.
In a statement issued on Thursday, December 18, KNEC said the certificates were sent to all schools nationwide using Sub-County Directors of Education as the main distribution channel. Candidates were advised to contact the schools where they sat their examinations to obtain the certificates.
PS Bitok said the Ministry of Education values the partnership it enjoys with teachers’ unions, describing it as critical to the successful implementation of ongoing and future reforms in the sector.
Experts say the surge in small, often unplanned schools has worsened the teacher shortage, particularly in remote areas. Emmanuel Manyasa, Executive Director of Usawa Agenda, noted that having multiple small schools in one locality creates staffing pressures, as each requires the same number of teachers regardless of student numbers.
Learners were examined across nine learning areas: English; Kiswahili or Kenyan Sign Language; Mathematics; Integrated Science; Agriculture and Nutrition; Social Studies; Religious Education (CRE, IRE or HRE); Creative Arts and Sports; and Pre-Technical Studies.
Ogamba also addressed concerns that had emerged last month when some parents and school heads raised questions about possible fee changes under the Competency-Based Curriculum. In November, he dismissed any talk of revised charges, saying the ministry had not altered the rates set earlier.
To further bolster the education system, Ruto revealed that 76,000 teachers have already been recruited, with plans to increase that number to 100,000 by next month,marking the largest teacher recruitment drive in Kenya’s history.
Nationally, the ministry’s data showed that 642,620 learners, representing 56.84 per cent of the total, were within the recommended age range of 14 to 15 years. Overall, 1,130,459 learners participated in the 2025 KJSEA, a key milestone in implementing the competency-based curriculum. Of these, 578,630 were male and 551,829 female, making up 51.19 per cent and 48.81 per cent respectively.
Ogamba also revealed that girls recorded stronger results than boys in Exceeding Expectation in 10 of the 12 subjects assessed. He said the widest gap appeared in Kiswahili, where 64.86 per cent of girls exceeded expectations compared to 51.41 per cent of boys. Girls also led in CRE with 59.77 per cent compared to 48.39 per cent of boys.
Releasing the 2025 KJSEA results, Ogamba said the ministry was satisfied with how the assessments were carried out across the country, noting that teams on the ground acted quickly whenever challenges arose.
Creative Arts and Sports emerged as the best-performed area, with 96.84 percent of learners meeting or going beyond expectations. Agriculture followed closely at 96.2 percent, while Kiswahili and Social Studies posted 93.11 percent and 92.93 percent respectively.
According to the ministry’s figures, 642,620 learners — 56.84 per cent — were within the recommended age of 14 to 15 years, which Ogamba said showed better alignment between learner age and their level of study.
Announcing the inaugural Grade 9 results at the Kenya National Examination Council headquarters in Nairobi, Ogamba said female learners met or exceeded expectations in 10 of the 12 subjects assessed.
As mandated by law, the commission handles the recruitment, registration, employment, assignment, promotion, transfer, discipline and termination of teachers in public learning institutions. In July, it introduced automatic promotions aimed at speeding up career growth for deserving tutors based on performance, while retaining competitive promotions for those rising to higher ranks.
In its latest assessment released during the state of human rights address, the commission noted that although the Constitution guarantees every child free and compulsory basic education, the reality on the ground is far from what the law envisions.
The plan marks a major step in easing the roll out of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum at Grade 10 by providing schools with spaces where practical learning and continuous assessment can be carried out more efficiently.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba confirmed that the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) will release the 2025 KJSEA results on December 11, 2025. He stated that the national examinations are a key measure of a student’s readiness to transition into senior secondary schools.
The Teacher Service Commission (TSC) says the gap spans all subjects, with specialised areas such as STEM, marine and fisheries, aviation, and computer studies being the most affected.
Under the proposed arrangement, commissioners would earn allowances for their service instead of fixed monthly salaries. Full-time commissioners currently draw Sh650,000 monthly, while the chairperson earns Sh765,000, in addition to benefits such as medical cover, official transport, car loans, mortgages, airtime allowance, and a service gratuity.
The Ministry of Education is set to release the 2025 Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and KJSEA results in December, while KCSE results are scheduled for January 2026. This year, 996,078 candidates took KCSE, 1,298,089 pupils sat for KPSEA, and 1,130,669 learners completed KJSEA under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), marking the first national assessment for junior school students under the new system.
KICD CEO Charles Ong’ondo said the agency has been alerted to cases where unsuspecting buyers are being approached by individuals claiming to have authentic Grade 10 designs. He stressed that such claims are false and warned the public to stay alert.
Teachers have already begun receiving confirmation messages from SHA showing they have been placed under the new Mwalimu Cover, which gives them access to 9,600 facilities around the country through the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund.
According to the report by the Auditor General, the extra charges went far beyond what schools are allowed to collect, with some families paying between Sh100,000 and Sh300,000, and in extreme cases up to Sh1.2 million for different school projects.