How Grade 10 placement exposed sharp inequality among schools

Education CS Julius Ogamba during an interview in his office on September 8, 2025. [ Jenipher Wachie, Standard]

Just days after the government released the placement of the first cohort of Grade 10 learners under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, what was meant to mark a historic transition has ignited a nationwide debate that has laid bare the inequalities in Kenya’s education sector.

For some families, the placement brought relief and celebration while for many others, it delivered shock, disappointment and anxiety, as learners found themselves assigned to schools far from home, institutions they did not choose, or pathways they felt did not reflect their interests and abilities.