Understanding Grade 10 School Selection Process and Career Pathways

Ahead of Grade 9 learners' transition to Senior Secondary School (SSS), parents and learners were tasked with choosing career pathways and schools for 2026.

The process, which was concluded in June, is set to set the stage for the placement of students in Grade 10 across the country in 2026.

Among the key highlights of the process is the selection of pathways and schools.

‍Selection of Pathways and Schools 

In Grade 10, students will primarily undertake 7 subjects, 4 of which will be core subjects that include: English, Kiswahili/KSL, Community Service Learning, and Physical Education. The remaining 3 subjects will be selected from the various pathways.

The 3 pathways include Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Arts and Sport, and Social Sciences.

Initially, math was to be optional for students who picked the Arts & Sports and Social Sciences; however, that was reviewed, with some form of Maths set to be introduced for the students.

Under each pathway, a student is required to pick a combination of 3 subjects, which will determine the school they will attend.

For instance, under STEM, one can choose a combination of Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry; Business Studies, Media Technology, Metal Work, Computer Studies, Home Science, and Wood Work.

Thereafter, under each subject combination, the students and parents are required to pick 4 schools that offer the selected subjects.

For the 4 schools, two have to be boarding schools outside the learner's county, the 3rd school should be a boarding/hybrid school (preferably within the learner’s county). The 4th school needs to be a day school within the learner's county. (This is repeated for all three subject combinations).

‍Placement of learners into Grade 10 

The placement of learners will be based on the performance of students in the Grade 9 assessment, learners' aptitude test (talent), school capacity, and regional balancing.

Just as was done when students joined Form One, top students are set to get their schools of choice. For instance, the top 6 learners per gender in each STEM track per sub-county will be placed in boarding schools of choice. Additionally, placement of candidates with an Achievement Level of 7 and 8 per track to boarding schools of their choice.

‍Grade 10 Placement Process

• Placement results will show where learners have been placed
• Admission letters/joining instructions shall be accessed online using the learner’s assessment Number.
• All schools, both public and private, shall admit Grade 10 through the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS)

Grade 10 School Replacement Process

• Schools with vacancies will declare through their respective county directors of education.
• Learners who wish to change schools will make requests through the heads of junior schools at least 2 weeks before the official grade 10 reporting date.
• Priority shall be given to those who had earlier selected the schools they are requesting.
• Approvals by MoE shall be based on the senior schools’ documented capacity.
• Upon a request’s approval, the joining instructions shall be accessed online; at no time shall a school issue printed letters for replacement cases.
• Replacement will be done once and shall be irreversible.

‍Challenges 

During the application process, students and parents lamented over the application process, citing the failure of the system. 

On its part, the Ministry of Education revealed that 9,750 secondary schools were either not selected or had fewer than 150 students selecting them.

“When we asked the principals what the reason for the non-selection of some schools was, we realised that more than 3,000 of these 9,750 schools have less than 150 students, meaning they are very small," Education PS Jilus Botok stated.

“We are going to call all stakeholders so we can have a national conversation on the sustainability of some of our schools, so that we are able to optimise the utility of resources.”