Grade 10 School Placements to be Released by Friday as Ministry Outlines Next Steps Under CBC
Grade 9 learners who sat for the 2025 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) will learn which senior secondary schools they have been placed in within the next two days, the Ministry of Education has confirmed.
Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok announced on Wednesday, December 17, that the long-awaited Grade 10 placement results will be officially released by Friday, December 19, 2025, marking a key milestone in the country’s transition under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Speaking during the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) National Delegates Conference held at the Kasarani Gymnasium in Nairobi, Bitok said learners will be able to access their placement details through a Short Message Service (SMS) platform.
“Candidates will be required to send their KJSEA assessment number via SMS to 22263 to receive details of the senior secondary school they have been placed in,” Bitok told delegates.
The announcement comes amid heightened anticipation among parents, learners and teachers as the first cohort of Grade 9 students prepares to move into senior secondary education under the CBC framework.
During his address, the Principal Secretary paid tribute to teachers for their role in implementing the education reforms, particularly the successful administration of the KJSEA examinations nationwide.
“I want to commend teachers across the country for the professionalism and dedication they demonstrated during the KJSEA process. This transition is historic, and it would not be possible without your commitment,” Bitok said.
He also sought to reassure KNUT over concerns surrounding Junior Secondary School operations, including teacher deployment and contractual issues, stating that the Ministry remains actively engaged on the matter.
“I assure KNUT that the Ministry is fully seized of matters affecting Junior Secondary School, including domiciling and teacher contracts, and that ongoing consultations are guided by the best interests of learners, teachers and the education system,” he added.
Bitok’s remarks follow an earlier announcement by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, who last week confirmed that the placement process for senior secondary schools had officially commenced.
Speaking on December 11 during the release of the 2025 KJSEA results, Ogamba explained that learners would be placed in senior schools based on both their assessment performance and their chosen career pathways, in line with recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.
Under the CBC system, learners are categorised into four main career pathways at senior school level: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Social Sciences; Arts; and Sports Sciences.
Ogamba revealed that a significant proportion of candidates demonstrated strong aptitude across multiple pathways.
“Out of the 1,130,459 candidates who sat for the KJSEA examinations, 59.09 per cent showed potential to pursue the STEM pathway at senior school,” Ogamba said.
He further noted that 46.25 per cent of learners demonstrated the capacity to pursue Social Sciences, while 48.73 per cent showed the capability to undertake the Arts and Sports Sciences pathway.
The Cabinet Secretary emphasised that the placement process would ensure learners are matched to institutions that best support their strengths and interests, while also maintaining equity and fairness across the system.
“The placement of learners will be guided by performance, pathway selection and available capacity, in keeping with the broader goals of education reform,” Ogamba stated.
The release of the Grade 10 placements is expected to bring clarity to families and schools as preparations intensify for the first intake of senior secondary learners under the CBC, a reform described by the government as the most significant overhaul of Kenya’s education system in decades.
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Grade 10 School Placements to be Released by Friday as Ministry Outlines Next Steps Under CBC