More than 100,000 Grade 10 learners have applied for a review of their senior secondary school placements, highlighting issues with the automated system used to transition students under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
In an address to learners and their parents on December 23, the Ministry of Education confirmed it had received over 100,000 requests on the first day of the seven-day review window, approving just about 2,000 while urging parents and learners to remain patient during the review process.
Considering the high number of requests to change placements, the placement process failed to align with the lived realities of many learners and their families, despite being technically efficient.
As a result of the widespread complaints, the Ministry of Education has opened a seven-day window allowing Grade 10 students to change their senior secondary school placements.
The Ministry of Education explained that the automated system considered learners’ choices, academic performance, and available school slots and was designed to promote merit, equity, and fairness.
However, parents and learners argued that the outcomes of the placement process had ignored affordability, proximity to home, and practical family circumstances.
One parent lamented being unable to afford the fees at the school her child was assigned to.
Another parent argued that learners placed far from their home counties would face additional costs for transport and accommodation, making attendance difficult despite having secured a school place.
Additionally, some learners were placed in pathways that parents complained did not reflect the learner’s strengths or expectations, highlighting gaps in understanding of CBC pathways during school selection.
In acknowledgement of the mounting complaints, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba urged parents to use the seven-day window to revise their school placement choices.
“Any parent who feels their child was not placed in the right pathway or school has another opportunity, for the next seven days, to make changes,” Ogamba said, adding that the ministry has sufficient capacity to accommodate all learners.
Education stakeholders in Elgeyo Marakwet County welcomed the placement-changing window, saying it would help parents understand school pathways under CBC better and allow students to join institutions that suit their abilities and interests.
