The Ministry of Education has announced a seven-day review window for the placement of learners into senior schools (Grade 10) following concerns raised by parents and candidates over the initial allocation outcomes.
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 system, he said, considered learners’ school choices, academic performance, and other policy considerations to allocate the limited number of available spaces.
“The Ministry has undertaken the placement of learners into senior schools (Grade 10). This has been done using an automated system that factors in learners' choices, performance, and other considerations designed to promote merit, equity, and fairness in the allocation of available school spaces,” Bitok said.
While acknowledging that many learners were successfully placed in schools they selected, the Ministry conceded that dissatisfaction had emerged among some parents and candidates.
According to the Ministry, the concerns stem largely from intense competition for places in popular schools, limited admission slots, communication gaps between parents, learners and school heads, as well as mismatches between selected pathways and assessment outcomes.
“While many learners have been placed in their schools of choice, the Ministry is aware that some parents and candidates have expressed dissatisfaction with the placements,” the PS noted.
He added that these challenges were anticipated, given the high demand for certain institutions.
To address the concerns, Bitok said the ministry will open a seven-day review period starting Tuesday, December 23.
During this window, candidates will be allowed to seek adjustments to their senior school choices through their Grade 9 schools or the Ministry’s Sub-County and County education offices, working through their respective heads of institutions.
“To address such concerns, the Ministry will open a seven-day review of senior school choices on Tuesday, December 23rd,” he said.
The review process will also be automated and will match revised preferences against learners’ performance and the availability of slots.
The Ministry added that errors such as incorrect gender entries would also be corrected during the review period.
The government described the placement exercise as a pioneering step under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system and acknowledged the anxiety surrounding the transition to senior school.
“Being a pioneer undertaking, the Government appreciates and empathises with parents, learners, and other stakeholders' anxieties and uncertainties around the transition to Grade 10,” it said.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and fairness, urging parents, learners, and schools to engage constructively during the review process as reforms to the education system continue.
PS Bitok said the review aims to strengthen confidence in the placement process while ensuring learners’ preferences align with available pathways and school capacities.
