Thousands of parents may still miss slots for their children in schools of choice as anxiety and frustration continue to grip the Grade 10 placement process, even as reporting dates draw closer, with some claiming they have been coerced into paying bribes of up to Ksh150,000 to secure placements.
The situation has forced parents across the country to resort to moving from school to school in an attempt to resolve placement challenges, with many saying they have been denied a chance to formally present their grievances to school administrations.
Several parents report being turned away from their preferred schools, while others say they have been given vague assurances that their cases will be considered later.
The frustrations have been compounded by cases where learners were placed in schools far from their homes, including day schools located in distant counties, making attendance impractical.
“My child was selected to join a school in Siaya County, a far-flung area from where I live in Nairobi. The truth is that I do not know the place, and I am now stuck on what to do,” a parent lamented.
Another parent expressed frustration after repeated visits to a national school in Nairobi failed to yield results.
“We have sacrificed our time coming to Nairobi School, but we have never been given a chance to speak or even allowed past the gate. Every time we come, the response is usually that we should wait for phone calls, which we do not know when they will come,” the parent said.
Some parents further revealed that they were informed that the chances of securing slots in their preferred schools were slim, with some being told outright that they may never be accommodated.
This is despite the Ministry of Education relaxing placement rules to allow parents to seek admission for Grade 10 learners in schools of their choice following a review, as announced by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
The Ministry has since opened a second phase of the placement review process, which began on Tuesday, January 6, and is set to run for four days.
Learners are expected to begin reporting to their assigned senior schools under the Competency-Based Education curriculum from January 12, after the review window closes.
In a statement issued on Friday, January 2, Ogamba said the second revision phase would run from January 6 to January 9, following complaints from parents and other stakeholders over the initial placements.
Parents say their frustrations have deepened further amid claims that some school heads are demanding extra money to secure placement slots, despite such payments being unlawful.
According to the parents, some top-tier schools are allegedly asking for between Ksh100,000 and Ksh150,000 to admit learners, at a time when many families are already financially strained.
“I spoke to two people, one asked for Ksh150,000, and another requested Ksh100,000 to consider my case. He also gave me a contact. I cannot raise that money because I had only prepared for fees,” another parent said.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet Secretary noted that the first revision of Grade 10 placements was concluded on December 29, 2025, with joining instructions for successfully placed learners made available on the placement portal from December 30.
The Ministry has maintained that the second revision phase will only apply to cases where parents and learners can provide legitimate and verifiable reasons for requesting changes, as the government seeks to balance access to education with the effective use of available school spaces.
