Pathways dilemma as top KJSEA performers juggle talents and careers

Prudence Lihanda, winner of Miss Western Kenya. [Courtesy]

A new dilemma is awaiting thousands of high-performing learners across the country how to choose a senior school pathway when they excel both in academics and co-curricular activities.

This as the dust settles after the release of the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) results that saw thousands of learners perform exemplary well.

Under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, learners joining Grade 10 in 2026 must pick one main pathway—STEM, Social Sciences, or Arts and Sports Sciences even as many of them demonstrate exceptional ability across all three.

For students like James Mbogo, Jimmy Baraka, Fabian Ndolo, Jimmy Wayne and Aisha Abdikher who have thrived in class while shining on stages, pitches and innovation labs, the decision is proving emotionally and professionally complex.

James Mbogo who intends to pursue STEM alongside dancing. [Jonah Onyango, Stnandard]

At Accurate Schools Kayole, director Samuel Macharia says the four were the school’s  top KJSEA performers and also some of its most active creatives.

Of the 83 candidates who scored Exceeding Expectations, 21 were members of the drama club. Their cultural dance, “Mama Mboga,” was ranked among the best at this year’s Kenya National Drama and Film Festivals.

“These learners are not choosing between talent and intelligence, they have both. Students who excel in academics and co-curriculars are highly organised, disciplined and resilient. This balance enhances well-being, reduces burnout and ultimately improves performance in higher education and careers,” Macharia said.

The same pattern is evident where Lorena Watiri, Natasha Mariam and Paul Ngugi represented the school at national chess championships, emerging among the best.

The school has also reached national level in music festivals, drama and athletics, even as it posts strong academic outcomes.

Tiffany Wambui won the Smart Robot Design Award in the Cyber City category at the ENJOY AI Global Final 2025 held in Wuzhen, China.[Courtesy]

At Gilgil Hill Schools, the pathways debate has taken on a global dimension. Student Tiffany Wambui won the Smart Robot Design Award in the Cyber City category at the ENJOY AI Global Final 2025 held in Wuzhen, China.

The international robotics and artificial intelligence competition attracted participants from 34 countries, with over one million learners taking part a Guinness World Records milestone.

It marked Kenya’s first-ever representation at a robotics competition on Chinese soil.

“Kenya’s participation shows the strong potential of our young talents in programming and artificial intelligence. Beyond trophies, these competitions build teamwork, problem solving and the ability to perform under pressure,” said Gilgil Hill Schools headteacher Festus David.

In Western Kenya, Vihiga-based headteacher Whyclife Lung’aho says most of his learners who excelled in sports, music and drama also posted strong KJSEA results.

“CBC is revealing abilities we previously ignored. The challenge now is not performance, but choice,” he noted.

At Rockfields Schools, 242 of 256  candidates scored strongly across STEM and Social Sciences. School director David Waititu attributes this to deliberate investment in music, drama, tennis and field events alongside academics.

One of their candidates, Sean Kinyori Makau, posted an exemplary overall performance and hopes to join a national school to pursue the STEM pathway.

Individual stories further illustrate the crossroads learners face as Pauline Kyambati and Diana Ndinda Muema both from Miangeni International School, Makindu, say they want to pursue STEM while continuing with performing arts.

“I don’t want to lose my love for stage performance just because I’m good in science,” Kyambati said.

In Makueni County, Kelvin Nyanumba from Vitale HGM Comprehensive School, who scored 67 points, dreams of becoming an aeroplane engineer, while Neema Dominic hopes to join the teaching profession.

Parents praised the results but urged the government to strengthen learning conditions and support teachers as CBC transitions deepen.

Nationally, about 570,000 learners representing 50.3 per cent of KJSEA candidates—selected the STEM pathway, reflecting both ambition and perceived opportunity.

However, only a limited number of National and former Cluster 1 extra county schools are set to offer all three pathways concurrently. Among them are Nairobi school, Mang’u high, Alliance high and Alliance girls, Kabianga High School, Machakos school, Kenya high, Pangani girls, Starehe boys and girls among others.