Kenya’s Ministry of Education has opened the Grade 9 Senior School selection exercise, marking a major step towards the transition of learners into Grade 10 under the country’s Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
The five-day selection exercise begins today, Monday, 7 September, and will run until Friday, 11 September 2026, with schools expected to guide learners in choosing their preferred senior schools, pathways and subject combinations.
The exercise is part of Kenya’s ongoing transition from junior school to Senior School, where learners will pursue one of three pathways: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences, or Arts and Sports Science.
Learners to choose schools and subject combinations
Under the latest guidelines, each learner is required to select a minimum of one and a maximum of two sets of subject combinations.
Learners will also select eight senior schools for their preferred pathway and subject combinations.
The Ministry has directed schools to provide career guidance to learners before choices are made, with emphasis on matching learners’ abilities, interests and aspirations with appropriate pathways.
Schools have also been instructed to ensure that learners’ personal and assessment details are accurate before completing the selection process.
The Ministry has further clarified that choosing or not choosing a particular subject combination should not automatically prevent a learner from pursuing a related career in future.
For example, a learner who does not select Aviation as a subject combination will not necessarily be barred from pursuing aviation as a career later.
No fees for Grade 9 selection
The Ministry has warned schools and individuals against charging parents or learners for participating in the selection exercise.
According to the latest guidelines, no learner or parent should pay any levy or fee to participate in the Grade 9 Senior School selection process.
Schools have also been instructed to keep login credentials confidential and protect them in accordance with data-protection requirements.
The public can search for schools and available subject combinations through the selection system without using school login credentials.
Why the exercise matters
The selection process is a significant milestone in Kenya’s implementation of Competency-Based Education because it moves learners towards a senior secondary system that places greater emphasis on skills, interests and career aspirations.
The transition also represents a major shift from the traditional model in which learners largely followed a common academic curriculum before making more specialised choices later in their education.
The three senior-school pathways are designed to provide different routes for learners depending on their interests and abilities.
The STEM pathway focuses on scientific, mathematical, technological and technical subjects, while Social Sciences covers areas including humanities, languages and business-related studies.
The Arts and Sports Science pathway provides opportunities for learners interested in creative arts, performing arts and sports-related disciplines.
Schools urged to ensure no learner is left behind
The Ministry has instructed schools to follow up on learners who are absent during the selection period to ensure that they are not inadvertently excluded from the process.
School heads are also expected to print learners’ profiles after selection and have them signed by parents or guardians for record-keeping.
The exercise comes as Kenya prepares for another major phase of its CBE transition, with the first cohort moving towards Grade 10 in 2027.
For parents and learners, the immediate challenge is to make informed choices rather than selecting schools or subjects simply because of their popularity or perceived prestige.
The Ministry’s emphasis on career guidance reflects the broader objective of the CBE system: ensuring that education choices are increasingly aligned with learners’ abilities, interests and future aspirations.
With the selection window closing on 11 September, schools have five days to ensure that eligible Grade 9 learners complete the process and are properly prepared for the next stage of their education.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.