The government has announced a new classification for secondary schools as it prepares to roll out senior schools under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system starting in January 2026.
Under the revised structure, the government has scrapped the national, extra-county, county, and sub-county classification of secondary schools, with the institutions set to be identified based on the career pathways they offer.
The three approved career pathways include Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports Science.
Grade 10 Pathways: List of all Grade 10 subject combinations
In the new classification, all former national schools fall under Cluster 1, extra-county schools under Cluster 2, county schools under Cluster 3, and sub-county schools under Cluster 4.
Cluster 1 schools will offer all three pathways due to their superior infrastructure while schools in Clusters 2, 3, and 4 will offer at least two pathways, with STEM being mandatory.
The Education Ministry clarified that institutions with sufficient facilities and staff may be allowed to provide all three pathways.
Schools have also been classified by accommodation type, day or boarding, and by gender.
