KJSEA: New CRA-based Formula Unveiled for Senior School Placement as CBE Takes Effect
Grade 9 learners will, for the first time, be placed into senior schools using the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, with the Ministry of Education introducing a new placement model anchored on the County Revenue Allocation (CRA) formula.
The placement exercise, which begins on Monday, marks a major departure from the long-standing 8-4-4 system and is intended to promote fairness, equity and transparency in the transition to senior school.
Under the new model, county population carries the greatest weight, accounting for 42 per cent of the placement consideration. This means more populous counties such as Nairobi, Nakuru and Kakamega are expected to receive a higher number of senior school slots.
Learner performance contributes 22 per cent of the overall score, while poverty levels account for 14 per cent. Distance to school makes up 13 per cent, with the remaining 9 per cent based on school size and infrastructure.
Education officials say the approach is designed to correct historical imbalances that often disadvantaged learners from marginalised regions.
Under the former 8-4-4 system, placement largely depended on Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) scores, giving national and top-tier schools a significant advantage. Competition for these institutions was intense, frequently favouring learners from well-resourced areas or those living closer to elite schools.
Explaining the shift, Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof Julius Bitok said the CRA formula had been adopted to ensure a more balanced national distribution of learners.
“To ensure fairness in placement across the country, we have adopted the CRA formula of revenue allocation to be able to distribute as fairly as possible students from across all counties in all the four categories of schools,” Prof Bitok said on Thursday during the release of the Grade 9 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) results.
“This ensures that a child from Northern Kenya has the same opportunity as a child from Western Kenya to join a school in Nairobi or any other part of the country,” he added.
The ministry is also relying on increased capacity within senior schools to guarantee a 100 per cent transition. Unlike the traditional four-year secondary cycle, senior school will have only three classes, leaving additional classrooms available.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the country’s 9,540 senior schools have a total capacity of 2.2 million learners, while 929,262 candidates are expected to exit secondary school after this year’s KCSE examinations.
“Senior schools will have extra classrooms left by the fact that we will only have three classes at this level. These classrooms are expected to provide extra space, enabling us to avoid overcrowding,” Mr Ogamba said.
He assured parents that all learners would be in school by January 12, 2026, while acknowledging concerns over the pace of the transition.
“All those who are having challenges in adjusting to the new system, it will take time, but we will get there,” he said.
Mr Ogamba also dismissed claims of failure under the new grading framework, insisting that CBE assessments are designed to measure individual progress rather than rank learners competitively.
“All the students passed these exams,” he said. “What is important is that we are trying to measure each one’s expectations. You cannot say that there is someone who has failed.”
The CBE model introduces defined learning pathways, allowing students to specialise based on their strengths. These include Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), social sciences, and arts and sports.
“The competition is between the child and themselves,” Mr Ogamba said. “In your class, you have the capacity to do a pathway in the arts or STEM.”
He added that the system is intended to help learners identify their career direction earlier.
“By the time you are in high school, you already know where you are headed — by the time you are in high school, you are an engineer,” he said.
Under the new placement structure, schools are grouped into clusters. Cluster 1 institutions — formerly national schools — will offer all three pathways, while most day schools will offer only two.
Learners previously selected 12 preferred schools, including nine boarding schools — three within their home county and six outside — and three day schools within their home sub-county. Some schools that do not participate in open placement will allow learners to pre-select them ahead of the process.
According to ministry guidelines, all public and private schools will admit Grade 10 learners through the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS). Principals will only be allowed to confirm admission after learners physically report to school, with daily monitoring by the ministry.
Prof Bitok said all learners would know their placements by the end of next week, after which a five-day revision window would be opened.
“The process will be seamless, similar to the way university students revise their choices through KUCCPS,” he said.
Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) Director Prof Charles Ong’ondo urged parents and teachers to guide learners carefully as they make pathway decisions.
“Because they will now have their results, let’s talk to them together with their parents to help them make well-thought-out decisions,” he said.
Despite assurances that there will be no ranking, education stakeholders expect intense competition for Cluster 1 schools, formerly known as national schools.
Peter Ochieng, a parent from Kisumu, admitted he was uncertain about how the new system would play out.
“Before, we just looked at marks and knew where our children could go. National schools are very popular, and even with no ranking, I know the competition will be tough,” he said. “With this CRA formula and all these factors, I honestly don’t know how it will work or if my child will get a school that suits them.”
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KJSEA: New CRA-based Formula Unveiled for Senior School Placement as CBE Takes Effect