Grade 9 learners have begun choosing the senior schools they hope to join for Grade 10, under a revised placement process that limits each learner to eight school choices.
The five-day selection exercise, which began on Monday, is being conducted through the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS) portal and is expected to involve about 1.2 million learners across the country.
The exercise marks a major step in the transition to senior school under the Competency-Based Education system, with learners required to identify their preferred career pathways, subject combinations and schools based on their interests and future career ambitions.
According to the Directorate of Secondary Education (DSE), the selection window will remain open for five days.
“The system will open at midnight on Monday with selection running from Monday, September 7 to Friday, September 11,” the DSE said in a statement following a meeting with field officers.
Under the revised selection model, learners will identify eight preferred senior schools drawn from four school clusters. Three schools must be selected from Cluster 1, two from Cluster 2, two from Cluster 3 and one from Cluster 4.
The arrangement represents a reduction from the previous system, which allowed learners to list 12 schools, with four choices assigned to each of the three available pathways.
In addition to selecting schools, learners are required to identify at least one and a maximum of two major learning areas.
Their choices must correspond with their preferred career pathway and the subject combinations offered by their selected senior schools.
Senior School pathways
Senior school education under the competency-based system is structured around three broad pathways: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports Science.
The Arts and Sports Science pathway offers areas of study including fine arts, music, dance, sports and recreation, giving learners an opportunity to align their education with their talents and interests.
Learners are expected to consider both their individual interests and career goals when selecting pathways and subject combinations, while also taking into account what their preferred schools offer.
The current exercise is targeting public senior schools. Private schools are expected to be incorporated later, during the revision phase of the placement process.
After learners complete their selections, their profiles will be printed and taken to parents for verification.
Parents will be required to sign the documents to confirm that the choices captured reflect their preferences. The signed copies will then be kept by schools for record and accountability purposes.
At senior school, learners will take seven subjects. Mathematics, English, Kiswahili and Community Service Learning will be compulsory for all students, while the other subjects will be determined by the pathway and subject combination selected by each learner.
Also Read: Schools to host ID registration drive for students turning 18
