A rush by parents and learners to alter Grade 10 placement outcomes has seen the Ministry of Education receive about 100,000 revision requests on the first day of the review period.
The applications target changes in both learning pathways and school clusters, showing the high interest surrounding the transition to senior school under the new education system.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the ministry began processing the requests immediately, with 2,000 applications approved by Tuesday afternoon. He spoke in Naivasha on Tuesday after monitoring the process at a local school, acknowledging that the system slowed earlier in the day due to the unexpectedly high number of submissions.
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.
“Of the 1.13 million learners, about 100,000 are interested in revising their pathways. As of 4pm this afternoon, we had processed and approved 2,000 of those requests across clusters C1, C2, C3 and C4,” Bitok said, adding that the approved cases include requests to switch pathways as well as school clusters.
He explained that the review exercise is being handled through a fully digital system and supported by education officials across the country to ensure efficiency. According to Bitok, the responsibility for approvals has been shared across different levels depending on the school cluster involved.
Applications for cluster C1 schools, formerly national schools, are being approved at the ministry headquarters in Nairobi. Regional directors of education are overseeing cluster C2 approvals, which cover former extra-county schools.
County directors are managing cluster C3 cases, while subcounty directors are responsible for cluster C4, which includes former subcounty day schools.
Despite the high volume of applications, Bitok said the ministry remains confident that all requests will be addressed within the seven-day review window.
“We are confident that within seven days, all learners who are interested in revising their choices of clusters will be given an opportunity without discrimination because the system is now digital,” he said.
He noted that the placement system came under strain during the morning hours on the first day as applications poured in, prompting the ministry to seek additional technical support from the ICT ministry to expand storage space and improve system capacity.
The PS said the placement review is being conducted through the Kenya Education Information Management System (KEMIS), marking its first large-scale use for senior school placement.
“This is the first time we are doing this under KEMIS. I want to call upon all parents and stakeholders to be patient with us as we streamline the system and ensure that every learner gets the pathway of their choice,” he said.
Bitok encouraged parents and learners who have not yet applied to use the full seven days available, saying the window is sufficient to accommodate all interested applicants.
He said the ministry is handling about 100,000 requests per day and is confident the system can cope with the demand.
“Depending on the availability of vacancies and pathways, we shall give everybody a chance. After the seven days, we shall review as a ministry to determine whether the period was sufficient or whether more time will be needed,” he said.
According to the PS, the approval process involves about 400 subcounty directors, 47 county directors, eight regional directors, and more than 20 officers at the ministry headquarters. In addition, more than 20,000 school heads across the country are supporting learners to submit their revision requests.
“A learner does not have to travel to school. You can reach out by phone call or SMS because heads of institutions have the credentials to access the system and make the revisions,” Bitok said.
He added that although schools are closed for the Christmas holiday, head teachers have been directed to remain available to assist parents and learners seeking to adjust their placements.
