Grade 9 learners will select their choices of senior school during the second term, after the Ministry of Education finalises the guidelines for admission as well as classification of schools.
This is according to the principal secretary of Early Learning and Basic Education Belio Kipsang who explained that selection of schools has been delinked from registration of candidates for national examinations.
Dr Kipsang talked to Nation on the sidelines of a forum organised by the Ministry of Education in Nairobi County to discuss the draft guidelines for senior school.
He said the time would allow learners to discuss their choices with their parents over the school holidays as well as schools to familiarise themselves with the final guidelines. The countrywide dialogues drew to a close on Thursday.
Dr Kipsang explained that the MoE would take feedback from the forums and infuse it to produce the final document for use. He added that by the ministry will also communicate the new categorisation of schools according to the career pathways that they will offer.
They will be classified as either triple or double pathway schools, effectively doing away with the current nomenclature of national, extra-county, county or sub-county schools.
“The plan is to give students time during the school holidays to discuss their options with their parents. This way, when schools reopen, parents will have had the chance to guide their children, and schools will also be familiar with the guidelines — ensuring everyone is well-prepared,” said Dr Kipsang.
According to the draft guidelines for transition to senior school that were discussed during the county-based dialogues learners will be placed to a career pathway of choice based on their ability, interest as well as merit.
Triple pathway schools will offer all the career pathways. These are: science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), social sciences and arts and sports.
Double pathway schools will offer STEM and a choice of the other two. However, Dr Kipsang stressed that all senior schools will be required to offer the STEM pathway.
The draft guidelines indicate that learners will select 12 schools based on their preferred pathways. This will include four schools for their first-choice track and subject combination, four schools for their second choice, and four schools for their third choice.
Selection based on accommodation, nine will be boarding schools — three from the learner’s home county and six from outside their home county or county of residence. The remaining three will be day schools within their home sub-county or sub-county of residence.
“This time we wanted to separate the selection process from exam registration so that the two remain distinct. By then [second term], the categorisation of schools will also be clear, so learners will know which schools offer three pathways and which ones offer two. All schools will provide at least two pathways, with STEM being a primary pathway available in every school. This way, learners can make informed choices from the categorised schools. The ministry will ensure that the final guidelines cover everything before the selection begins,” said Dr Kipsang.
There will be a total of 38 subjects on offer in senior school. Core subjects will be English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language (for learners with hearing impairments), Physical Education, and community service learning — the latter emphasising project-based, experiential learning.
Additionally, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills will be integrated across all subjects to promote digital literacy.
Eunice Gachoka, the senior deputy director, Educational Media at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), said that 15 per cent of learners in senior school are expected to pursue the arts and sports pathway, which aims to nurture creative talents and athletic abilities. The pathway is divided into two main components: sports science and performing arts.
“We anticipate that 15 percent of learners will pursue this route, which includes sports science — covering sports and recreation — and performing arts, consisting of music, dance, theatre, film, and fine arts and 60 percent will pursue STEM which also will feature building construction, electricity, metalwork, mechanics, woodwork, media technology, and marine and fisheries technology — the latter two being specialised subjects offered in select schools,” she said.
Alice Gathii, from the Ministry of Education, noted that placement to senior school will follow a structured pathway approach to ensure learners are guided into specialised fields based on their interests and abilities.
She stressed that although triple pathway schools will provide all the pathways learners will not be forced to pursue all of them. Students instead will select their preferred pathway, supported by subject combinations that align with their strengths.
"It’s about ensuring learners specialise without feeling restricted," she added.
Addressing the types of school setups, she outlined three accommodation models: day schools, hybrid schools (a mix of day and boarding, with gender-specific or mixed-gender setups), and special needs institutions.
"We’ve ensured that learners with hearing, visual, physical, cognitive, or developmental challenges — such as autism and cerebral palsy — are not left behind," she stated.
On the placement process, she reassured parents that learner preferences and school capacity would be key considerations.
"The system prioritises learner choice, subject availability, and school capacity, with data verification measures to ensure no mismatches — like boys being placed in girls-only schools," Ms Gathii said.
