The selection process for Grade 10 (senior school) has been affected by a technical issue that has slowed down the process, a week after the government announced its commencement.
Around 1.2 million Grade 9 learners, the first cohort of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, were due to begin selecting senior schools and preferred career pathways on Monday, ahead of next year's transition. However, most schools have postponed the process until next week due to technical issues.
Grade 9 Pupils at Fairfield Primary School, Mombasa, during a lesson in class.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
A spot check by the Nation revealed that several schools across the country, especially in rural areas with mobile network issues, were unable to access the portal. Grade 9 learners are supposed to select their career pathways before transitioning to Grade 10 next year.
School heads said they could not access data on secondary schools for selection because it had not been uploaded.
Learners will select 12 schools for their chosen pathways, as follows: four for their first choice, four for their second choice, and four for their third choice. In terms of accommodation, nine of the 12 schools should be boarding schools, three of which should be in the learner's home county and six of which should be outside the county.
“There are challenges because senior schools have not uploaded pathways and subjects in the portal. We cannot access anything on the portal. So we were told by the sub-county directors to hold on until next week. We are yet to begin,” said a head teacher.
The head teacher of a school with fewer than 100 Grade 9 students is optimistic that the issue will be resolved before the half-term break in two weeks' time.
“We have a busy schedule this term because of the upcoming,” said the head teacher, who spoke to the Nation on condition of anonymity.
Grade 9 learners attend an English Literature lesson at Fairfield Primary School in Mombasa on February 4, 2025.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation Media Group
Another teacher said the portal is inactive. “The portal is not active. Some of the senior schools have not uploaded their information. All schools must be seen on the system. They use UCI code, so once you log in and the schools appear,” said the head teacher.
Another head teacher said several senior schools are not appearing on the portal. “We have not even begun the process,” said the head teacher.
A senior education official told the Nation that the process had been 'halted' until all secondary schools had uploaded their details to the portal. However, some principals who spoke to the Nation said they had uploaded their pathways for selection.
“The senior schools must complete uploading their details before the selection begins,” said the official.
Private schools also confirmed that they were experiencing the same challenges. “It’s taking too long to log in. As of yesterday, the tabs for the schools was not showing all the schools because there is a place you click and all the schools will appear as the counties. There was a time the tab was inactive,” said Ms Dorothy Kaimuri, head teacher at Busy Bee Primary School.
She said she will start the process on Monday. “I did not want to call the parents and then disappoint them. It is so embarrassing for you to call a parent and then you get stuck in the middle of the process and then you have to call them again and my parents are very busy,” Ms Kaimuri said.
Grade 9 learners at Xaverian Eye Primary and Junior School in class during a lesson on January 6, 2025.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
From Tuesday next week, she will guide the parents in selecting schools and pathways for their children. Ms Kaimuri, who has 27 candidates, said that a week is enough time for the process.
The three available pathways are: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Arts and Sports Science; and Social Sciences. The STEM pathway comprises Pure Sciences, Applied Sciences and Technical Studies; the Arts and Sports Science pathway comprises Arts and Sports Science; and the Social Sciences pathway comprises Language and Literature, Humanities and Business Studies.
Public senior schools (secondary schools) are required to upload the subject combinations they will be offering in 2026 for Grade 9 learners to select.
First, the principal logs in with the senior school's unique identification code credentials and declares the grade 10 capacity. Then, select and submit subject combinations for at least two pathways where STEM is compulsory. The minimum number of learners per subject combination is 15.
The Sub-County Director of Education then approves the subject combinations of the schools in their area. If a combination is not approved, the senior school can delete the record and select another subject combination.
Teachers issue textbooks to Grade 9 learners at DEB Comprehensive School in Elburgon, Nakuru County on January 10, 2025.
Photo credit: John Njoroge | Nation Media Group
For junior schools, the head of the institution logs in with junior school UIC credentials and finds a list of Grade 9 learners.
For each learner, they select a pathway and then select three subject combinations. For each subject combination, they select one school from each of the four clusters provided and submit their choices.
Regular learners must select 12 schools. Learners with special needs, however, will select Special Needs Education/Integrated schools that are in line with their disability.
