Senior Secondary School Drama as Over 100K Learners Appeal Grade 10 Placement

The Ministry of Education is facing an unprecedented surge in placement review requests, with over 100,000 Grade 9 learners and their parents submitting appeals against initial Grade 10 school placements on the very first day of the appeal window.

The influx highlights the challenges in the transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system and the high expectations parents have for quality senior school education.

Speaking during an assessment selection exercise at Naivasha Boys’ Boarding School on December 23, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok confirmed that more than 2,000 requests had already been approved by 4:00 pm, with thousands more under review. 

“We are working diligently to clear the backlog within the seven-day appeal period,” he said.

The Ministry has set up a structured system to manage the appeals efficiently. Requests concerning Category One (C1) schools are being handled centrally at ministry headquarters in Nairobi, while appeals for schools in lower categories up to Cluster Four (C4) have been decentralised to line officers across the country.

Bitok acknowledged that the placement portal experienced technical challenges earlier in the day but assured parents that the system had been restored.

“There were slight hiccups over digital details, but the issue at the Konza government data centre has been resolved,” he said.

Many parents expressed frustration over the initial placement results, citing long distances to assigned schools or placements in institutions they consider lower-performing. Caroline Moraa, a parent from Nyamira, highlighted the logistical challenges:

“My child has been placed in a day school in Garissa. I wonder whether I will have to rent a house there for my child to attend school.”

Other parents reported slow portal responses and system delays that forced them to visit junior secondary schools in person to submit requests.

Bitok urged patience, reminding parents that the review window spans seven days and that all appeals would be addressed within that period.

The Grade 10 placement process marks the first cohort of senior secondary students under the CBE curriculum, with a total of 1.3 million learners expected to join Grade 10 in January 2026.

The CBE system aims to equip learners with practical skills, align education with national development priorities, and prepare students for both local and global job markets.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has acknowledged the challenges in implementing the new system but reassured the public that the Ministry is actively addressing them.

“We encourage parents and learners who are dissatisfied with their placements to lodge appeals within the official review period,” he said.