Senior School Selection for 1.2 Million Learners Begins in Two Weeks: How Placement Will be Done.
More than 1.2 million learners are set to transition to senior school in January, with the process kicking off in two weeks. Each learner will be required to select 12 senior schools aligned with their chosen career pathway.
The Ministry of Education will initiate the process with a revised categorisation of schools based on available career pathways, moving away from the traditional classification of national, extra-county, county, and sub-county institutions.
The senior school selection window will run from May 26 to June 15. Placement will occur after learners complete the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), which will be conducted for the first time in November.
The available pathways for learners include Social Sciences, Arts and Sports, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). These pathways will further split into specific subject tracks.
According to William Sugut, head of the Directorate of Secondary Education, placement will consider learners’ interests, academic performance, and teacher input. Parents will also play a guiding role during this process.
He explained that national schools, due to their infrastructure, will accommodate all three pathways, while others will offer STEM alongside one of the other two options.
Pathway and Track Selection Process
Dr Sugut outlined the selection process, stating that teachers will use the National Education Management Information System (Nemis) to log into their school’s account.
Names and assessment numbers of Grade 9 learners will appear, after which teachers will assist them in updating personal details such as home county and sub-county. The presence of learners, parents, and school heads during this phase is required to ensure transparency.
Following the update, learners will choose a preferred pathway, then a specific track within it. They will proceed to select the first subject combination and then choose four senior schools: one day school, one boarding school from their home county, and two boarding schools from outside their county. This process will be repeated for the second and third subject combinations to offer flexibility.
Learners must select a total of 12 schools distributed across their three subject combinations. Out of these, nine must be boarding schools, with three located in the learner’s home county and six outside.
In addition, three day schools will be selected from their sub-county. Dr Sugut mentioned that certain schools such as Starehe Boys Centre may conduct pre-selections.
Assessment and Placement Logistics
Dr Sugut clarified that the registration for KJSEA has already been completed, and the next step involves selecting pathways, tracks, and schools. The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) and the Ministry of Education will handle the logistical aspects of placement.
The learners’ cumulative academic performance in Grades 6, 7, and 8, as well as the final summative assessment in Grade 9, will influence the final placement.
He indicated that the placement process will be coordinated by various Ministry of Education officials, including Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, the Director General of Education, and regional and county directors.
Heads of junior and senior schools will also be actively involved. During the national discussion on Competency-Based Education, Dr Sugut highlighted that separating the registration and selection processes allows for a more focused and structured transition.
The Ministry aims to identify and nurture the talents of all learners. Dr Sugut emphasized that if a learner excels in multiple pathways, personal interest should guide the final choice.
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To promote equity, the top six learners per gender in each STEM track per sub-county will be placed in boarding schools of their choice. The same will apply to the top three learners per gender in Social Sciences and Arts and Sports tracks.
Schools will be required to declare available vacancies in advance. Institutions seeking to make any changes must do so at least two weeks before the reporting date to ensure a smooth transition process.
Senior School Selection for 1.2 Million Learners Begins in Two Weeks: How Placement Will be Done
