Why Grade 10 admission period could be extended

A Grade 10 student prepares for admission at Moi Girls High School in Kakamega on January 14,2026. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard] With just 24 hours left before the close of admission for the first cohort of Grade 10 learners, the government's 100 per cent transition policy is facing its biggest challenge yet as it first takes effect under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Official data from the Ministry of Education portal shows that less than half of the 1.1 million learners expected to join senior school have so far reported to their respective institutions. The slow reporting has raised concern as the admission deadline ends today, putting at risk the government's promise of achieving full transition from junior school to senior school under CBC. The delays have now pushed the Ministry of Education to consider extending the admission period to allow more learners to report. "We are thinking about extending the deadline a little bit to allow those who come late to report," Bitok said while visiting Alliance High School to monitor the exercise. He added that schools have been instructed to continue admitting learners over the weekend. The 100 per cent transition policy was introduced in 2018 to ensure that all learners move smoothly through the 12 years of basic education. Under previous administrations, the ministry carried out mop-up exercises, where officials physically traced learners who had not reported and took them to school. In 2019, the ministry reported a 97 per cent transition rate after admitting most of the 2018 KCPE candidates. However, the success of the policy has since been questioned after data showed that many learners who were admitted into secondary school did not complete their education. Figures from the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) show that the 2019 KCPE group, 1,083,456 candidates, joined secondary school in 2020, yet only 903,260 sat KCSE this year. The government has not fully accounted for those who dropped out, with a similar trend observed in the subsequent years. Education officials say the slow reporting for Grade 10 is mainly due to parents delaying admission as they wait to change schools. Some parents are also hoping to secure places in preferred schools once unfilled slots become available. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the low numbers on the portal may not reflect the true situation on the ground, noting that some school heads have delayed uploading admission data due to network challenges. "The actual number of learners in school could be higher than what is shown on the portal. We will have a clearer picture by Monday," Ogamba said. Even as the ministry remains confident that all learners will eventually report, the slow pace of admissions, past dropout trends and ongoing revisions have highlighted the growing strain on the 100 per cent transition policy under the CBC system. Meanwhile, Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has warned that stern action will be taken against school principals who will be found culpable of increasing or asking for illegal school fees against the directive of the ministry. The PS warned that no head teacher will be allowed to add any levy or levies for any student seeking to join grade 10, a move he termed as illegal and will attract penalties. Bitok insisted that fees have not changed. At Alliance High School, Bitok said that over 90 percent of students had already joined grade 10, and he expressed optimism that the remaining will have done so by tomorrow, terming Alliance school placement as a classic example of transition success. At Moi Girls Kamangu, where the PS had a chance to engage the students in a grade 10 class, Bitok told them that the Ministry of Education is looking forward to giving them all the necessary support to make sure that the girls will leave the institution with a success story. "We shall make sure that you get the best and you are already in a very good learning environment , the government has invested in laboratories and classrooms , you have the environment," Bitok said .

Why Grade 10 admission period could be extended

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