State rolls out career guidance drive for Grade 9 learners

Education CS Julius Ogamba before the National Assembly's PIC Education and Governance committee at Bunge Towers, Nairobi. April 25, 2025. [Elvis Ogina, Standard] The Ministry of Education has launched a national sensitisation campaign to guide Grade 9 learners, parents, and teachers through the critical process of selecting career pathways ahead of the 2026 transition to Senior Secondary School (Grade 10). Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has directed all junior school heads to activate career departments and ensure parents and guardians are fully informed on how learners will choose from the three available pathways under the Competency-Based Education system - STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports Science. "To support the effective rollout of the process, schools across the country have been directed to sensitise parents, guardians and candidates regarding the selection process," Ogamba said in a statement on Saturday. "We want our learners to make informed decisions based on their talents and career interests." Ogamba's directive follows growing public anxiety over the clarity and readiness of the government's transition plan, especially amid rising concerns of a looming "crisis" due to delayed guidelines. One of the major concerns is the shortage of science teachers, with many physics teaching positions remaining unfilled despite repeated recruitment efforts. Teachers are also worried about their preparedness to handle the new curriculum. "How many teachers are ready to teach Grade 10 learners? Who will teach subjects such as health education?" asked John Waswa, an education consultant. Many teachers currently working in junior secondary schools lack the subject-specific qualifications needed, further compounding concerns about the quality of education. Parents have also criticised the government for not doing enough to inform them about the selection process. "We are asked to guide students in the process of selecting their pathways, something most parents don't even understand. ''Unless parents are informed, it is effort in futility," said National Parents Association chairman Silas Obuhatsa. Obuhatsa further said the government is still gambling with the future of learners, nine years into the new system. "Are we using our children to weigh whether the curriculum is going to work, or what is the government up to?" he posed.

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State rolls out career guidance drive for Grade 9 learners

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