Learners who sat the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) and are transiting to Grade 10 will know their career pathways and senior school placement results on Friday, the Ministry of Education has announced.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof Julius Bitok said the placement exercise for the 1.13 million learners is currently underway and is expected to conclude by Friday.
The placement follows the official release of the 2025 KJSEA results last week. In the placement exercise, learners will be matched with appropriate senior schools and career pathways under the competency-based education (CBE).
“I am happy to note that from Friday this week, learners will be able to know which schools and pathways they have been placed in,” Dr Bitok said during the 65th Annual Delegates Conference of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut).
To access the placement details, learners will be required to send an SMS indicating their Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) assessment number to 22263, after which feedback will be provided instantly.
Dr Bitok further revealed that learners will be given another opportunity to revise their pathway choices to better suit their interests, saying that window will open on Tuesday, 23rd December.
“After learners have known which pathway and schools they have been placed in, they will be given another opportunity starting Tuesday, 23rd December, to revise their pathway choices so that they can align them with their interests,” he said.
Teachers at Bhadala Comprehensive School in Mombasa celebrate with one of their top candidate on December 17, 2025 following the release of KJSEA results.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation Media Group.
Of the 1,130,459 candidates who sat for the 2025 KJSEA, 59.09 per cent have demonstrated potential to pursue the STEM pathway at senior school, 46.52 per cent the Social Science pathway and 48.73 per cent the Arts and Sports pathway.
The trend was a repeat of what played out during the selection of career pathways earlier in the year when STEM emerged as the most popular among grade 9 learners.
Dr Bitok noted that 2026 will be a unique year for Kenya’s education sector, as secondary schools will host learners from the 8-4-4 system alongside the first cohort fully trained under the CBE.
On financing and school costs, the PS assured parents and stakeholders that there will be no change in school fees for learners joining senior schools.
He reiterated that the government’s policy on free primary education and free day secondary education remains intact.
“I want to assure our stakeholders that we have already submitted our request for capitation for 2026, and going forward, delays in capitation will be a thing of the past,” he said.
Dr Bitok also highlighted the government’s commitment to working closely with all stakeholders in the education sector including teachers’ unions, noting that a strong union contributes to a strong sector.
In September, some 3,000 KNUT officials were among 10,000 teachers hosted at State House at a meeting dubbed ‘Walimu Na Rais’ where they shared their grievances with the Executive with aim of fostering better working relations.
Dr Bitok noted some of the concerns and requests to the President were addressed immediately while for others he gave firm directive to effect.
“I am happy to report there is impressive progress on the implementation of all directives that the President gave on that day. It’s important to note also that some of the recommendations are work in progress,” he said.
Among their concerns was timely release of funding, employment of teachers, streamlining of teachers’ medical scheme and a review on the career progression guidelines.
