More than 143,000 learners who requested changes to their Grade 10 placement have had their applications declined, largely due to limited school capacity and unavailable subject combinations, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has revealed.
The announcement follows the review of 355,457 applications submitted after the initial placement exercise, which ran from December 14 to 19, 2025.
Learners were given the opportunity to request a review from December 23 to December 28, with results now published on the national placement portal.
CS Ogamba explained that out of the total applications received, 211,636 were approved, while the remaining 143,821 were declined.
“The other applications have been declined largely due to the absence of the preferred subject combinations or the lack of capacity in the selected schools, and the learners have been advised accordingly,” he said.
According to the ministry, some schools received an overwhelming number of applications despite having limited intake.
“Popular institutions such as Alliance High School, Kenya High School, and Mangu High School each received as many as 20,000 applications, yet their average intake capacity stands at about 500 learners,” Ogamba noted.
Despite the high number of rejected requests, the ministry said the exercise has largely met learner preferences, with 88 percent of students placed according to their original or revised choices.
The placement data also highlights the distribution of learners across the three senior school pathways.
51 percent of students have been allocated to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) pathway, 38 percent to Social Sciences, and 11 percent to the Arts and Sports Science pathway.
For learners who remain unsatisfied with their placement, the ministry has opened a new review window from January 6 to January 9, 2026, providing another opportunity to seek adjustments.
CS Ogamba also confirmed that joining instructions are now available for all placed students.
“Joining instructions are available for download effective today, 30th December, 2025, on the placement portal,” he said.
The ministry emphasized that the Grade 10 placement exercise is designed to balance learner preferences with available capacity in schools, ensuring transparency, fairness, and equitable distribution across pathways.
The review process and new application window are part of ongoing efforts to allow learners to secure placements that align with their academic goals.
