Education Ministry sets new guidelines for Grade 10 students' academic pathways
Students will be required to select their areas of specialisation once they reach Grade 9.
The Ministry of Education is set to implement new guidelines to ensure that Grade 10 students transitioning into senior schools in 2026 are placed in their preferred academic pathways.
According to Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS) Belio Kipsang, students will be required to select their areas of specialisation once they reach Grade 9.
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"The Grade 9 students, who are currently in Grade 8 in Junior Schools, will select from three pathways: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), the Arts, and Sports Discipline courses," Kipsang said on Thursday at Dagoretti South, Nairobi.
The announcement came as he opened the KCSE examination container for distribution to schools.
To ensure a smooth transition, the Ministry plans to conduct several simulations starting next year.
These trial runs will help refine the placement system before it is fully implemented in 2026.
"The ministry will from next year run several simulations before the new placement method is adopted in 2026," Kipsang added.
STEM courses
The PS stated that all senior schools will offer STEM courses, aiming to provide students with a broad range of options for their academic and career development.
The move comes as part of a broader effort to strengthen Kenya's education system and better equip students for future challenges.
PS Kipsang also praised the work of the multi-agency team overseeing the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, which have been running for the past four weeks.
"We have had a good run, and the country is satisfied that we have done a wonderful race, we are satisfied," he said, expressing confidence in the success of the examination process.
Addressing concerns over examination malpractices, the PS confirmed that this year's KCSE exams have experienced fewer cases of cheating compared to previous years.
"This year's examination malpractices were few compared with the previous years," Kipsang said, adding that efforts to combat malpractice have contributed to the integrity of the process.
Looking ahead, the PS announced that the marking of the examinations will begin after the completion of the last paper, which is set to end on Friday.
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