A man re-writes a school signpost in Elburgon town, Nakuru County on May 31, 2025. Most secondary school signposts are being changed and redesigned ahead of Grade 9 learners’ transition to senior school in January 2026.
Learners joining boarding senior school in January 2026 will pay uniform fees irrespective of the school they are admitted to after the Ministry of Education released guidelines to support transition to senior school under the Competency-Based Education (CBE).
The guidelines have also effectively reduced the amount of money allocated to the Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) programme, as learners who will attend senior school in day schools will now have to pay a portion of tuition fees.
Previously, parents paid fees for boarding schools according to categorisation as national, extra-county, or county schools. The previous system was aimed at the government cushioning parents from financial burdens.
“The school fees to be charged for all categories of boarding school shall for the time being, remain at Sh53,554.00 (annually) as per the Gazette Notice No 1555 of March 10, 2015,” reads the Guidelines for Implementation of Senior School Education document released on Tuesday.
Currently, parents with children in schools categorised as national pay Sh53,554, while those in extra-county and county schools pay Sh40,535.
However, parents with children in day schools (sub-county) will pay annual fees of Sh9,374, while those with special needs learners will pay Sh37,210.
The government will fund the FDSE programme at Sh12,870 per learner annually, down from the current Sh22,244 for both day and boarding schools. This is even lower than the Sh15,042 the learners were allocated when in junior school.
Learners with special needs will receive a higher capitation of Sh32,600 to support their education needs.
This means that all senior schools, categorised under the new Cluster 1 to Cluster 4 system, will charge fees based on whether they are boarding or day institutions.
“For day schools, parents will continue paying the annual fees capped at Sh9,374, whereas Special Needs learners pay Sh37,210. The government will continue catering for the free day secondary school programme with boarding schools getting a capitation of Sh12,870, day schools Sh12,870, while Special Needs getting Sh32,600,” reads the report.
Further, the ministry hinted that once the transition to senior school is complete and the new structure stabilises, a review of the school fees policy could be undertaken in consultation with the National Treasury and other education stakeholders.
Grade Nine candidates take KJSEA English language paper at Moi Nyeri Complex Primary School in Nyeri County on October 27, 2025.
“Future adjustments, if any, will be informed by the outcomes of the ongoing reforms and the country’s economic context,” the guidelines note.
The announcement comes amid rising concern from parents over the cost of education, especially in boarding institutions, as inflation continues to push up the prices of food and essential commodities.
Additionally, under the new framework, all schools will be mapped, re-registered, and renamed based on the pathways they will offer — Arts and Sports Science, Social Sciences, or Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This is to ensure that learners pursue studies aligned with their skills and interests while ending the one-size-fits-all model of the 8-4-4 era.
The guidelines also outline how the country will transition learners into senior school beginning next year, marking the final phase of basic education under CBE.
The Ministry of Education says the move to standardise fees across boarding schools is intended to promote equity and ensure that no learner is locked out due to financial disparities.
Senior school will cater for learners aged 15 to 17 years, covering Grades 10, 11, and 12. It will form the bridge between junior school and tertiary education, with learners choosing career pathways that prepare them for university, middle-level colleges, or direct entry into the world of work.
The guidelines detail far-reaching reforms touching on infrastructure, staffing, management, and assessment. Each senior school must have modern facilities tailored to its specialisation — including science laboratories, art studios, sports fields, workshops, and digital learning spaces.
The MoE has directed that each class accommodate no more than 45 students, particularly in boarding schools, to ensure quality learning and safety.
Grade 9 students at St Mary’s Girls Comprehensive and Junior School in Nakuru County sit for their Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) on October 27, 2025.
“MoE shall conduct a comprehensive mapping of schools to categorise senior schools based on the pathways and the tracks offered. An assessment of school infrastructure shall also be conducted to ensure that facilities are adequate and suitable for the pathways offered. The mapping results shall be shared online to ensure easy access by learners, parents, junior schools and other stakeholders. This shall provide a clear understanding of available options and facilitate informed decision-making regarding choice of pathways, tracks and schools,” read the guidelines.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will undertake a review of staffing levels and redeploy qualified teachers to match the new pathways. Teachers will be retrained on competency-based and learner-centred teaching approaches, continuous assessment, and formative evaluation.
Each teacher will handle at least 27 lessons per week, while administrators like principals and deputies will have reduced loads to focus on leadership duties.
Single lessons
“There shall be eight lessons per day derived from the core, elective and support subjects. PE shall have 3 lessons per week, ICT 2 lessons per week, while lesson study one (1) lesson per week. Cumulatively there shall be a total number of 40 lessons per week. Each lesson shall be 40 minutes,” reads the guidelines.
The core subjects will be taught as single lessons only, while the other subjects will have one double lesson per week. The guidelines highlight that the official operating hours for all public and private institutions shall be Monday to Friday.
“There shall be only one double lesson for Arts and Sports Science and STEM subjects. Non-formal programmes shall be plotted on the timetable after the last lesson at 3.20pm. Health breaks shall be provided after every two lessons where the first break shall be 10 minutes, the second 30 minutes and lunch break one hour,” read the guidelines.
“No day institution of basic education and training shall require learners to report earlier than 7.15am. Class hours shall be from 8.00am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday. Co-curricular activities shall be from 3.30pm to 4.45pm Monday to Friday,” it added.
Safety of learners in and out of school has also been addressed, with boarding schools instructed never to send unaccompanied learners away from school after 9.00am and to ensure that learners in boarding schools arrive no later than 5.00pm.
Schools are also expected to strengthen career guidance and counselling to help students choose pathways that reflect their talents and future aspirations. Learners will be guided using the results of their Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) — an evaluation that measures both academic performance and competencies.
School administrations will be expected to establish audit committees that work with internal auditors to review and monitor financial performance, ensuring ongoing compliance with financial policies.
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