More than 100,000 Grade 10 learners in Kenya have applied to revise their senior school placements as the Ministry of Education activates a nationwide online transfer system. Here’s how the process works, timelines, challenges, and what parents need to know.
More than 100,000 Grade 10 learners across Kenya have formally requested a review of their senior school placements, highlighting the scale and sensitivity of the country’s transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system. The Ministry of Education confirmed that the requests began streaming in shortly after the launch of an online revision portal designed to correct placement concerns.
According to Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof Julius Bitok, the digital platform has already processed 2,000 approved transfers within the first day, despite early technical slowdowns caused by heavy traffic. The surge in applications represents roughly 10 percent of the expected total, an indication that many families are actively engaging with the new system.
Why So Many Learners Are Requesting Placement Reviews
The placement review exercise targets learners who are dissatisfied with either their assigned schools or learning pathways. Under CBE, students are placed into STEM, Social Sciences, or Arts and Sports pathways based on performance, interests, and available capacity.
However, the first phase of placements exposed several challenges. Some learners were allocated schools far from home, others were placed in pathways that did not align with their career ambitions, while technical glitches affected access to the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS).
To address these issues, the Ministry activated a 24-hour online revision system, allowing parents and school administrators to submit change requests at any time during a seven-day window.
How the Grade 10 Placement Revision System Works
The digital platform currently lists about 9,000 senior schools nationwide, with 1.5 million available slots for 1.1 million learners, ensuring that every student can secure a place.
Each learner requesting a review is allowed to select up to four alternative schools:
One preferred choice
Three backup options to improve approval chances
For example, a student initially placed in a county school may request transfer to a national school as the first option while listing three other comparable institutions as alternatives.
Decentralised Approval to Speed Up Transfers
To prevent bottlenecks, the Ministry has distributed approval responsibilities across different administrative levels:
Cluster One: Ministry headquarters
Cluster Two: Regional directors
Cluster Three: County directors
Cluster Four: Sub-county directors
This decentralisation ensures that applications from across the country are handled efficiently and closer to the learner’s location.
Prof Bitok emphasized that requests span all pathways, including STEM to Social Sciences, Social Sciences to Arts, and vice versa—reflecting diverse learner aspirations.
Technical Challenges and Parental Frustration
Despite the system’s promise, the first day of revisions was marred by portal congestion and downtime, especially in urban centres like Mombasa. Hundreds of parents flocked to junior schools hoping to revise placements, only to encounter stalled systems.
Teachers assisting parents reported difficulties processing requests due to bandwidth limitations, forcing families to wait for hours. The Ministry has acknowledged these challenges and assured the public that system refinements are underway.
Government Assurance on Timelines
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba urged parents to take full advantage of the revision window, stressing that the government is committed to correcting mismatches.
He confirmed that all revisions must be completed within seven days, with learners expected to report to their respective senior schools by January 12. According to the CS, early issues were expected given the scale and novelty of the transition.
Important Advice to Parents
Local leaders have stepped in to guide confused parents, cautioning against downloading admission letters prematurely. Once downloaded, the system may treat the placement as final, complicating the revision process.
Parents are advised to:
Confirm satisfaction before downloading admission forms
Use all four school options wisely
Seek help from junior school administrators or sub-county offices
A Defining Moment for Kenya’s Education Reform
This placement review exercise marks a critical milestone in Kenya’s education transformation. As the first cohort under CBE transitions to senior school, the success of the digital revision system will shape public confidence in the new curriculum.
While challenges remain, the Ministry insists that the process is designed to ensure fairness, flexibility, and learner-centered decision-making—key pillars of the Competency-Based Education framework.
