Grade 9 learners begin senior school and subject selection under CBC

CS, Ministry of Education Migos Ogamba addresses the press in Naivasha. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

Some 1.2 million Grade Nine candidates will on Monday begin to select the subjects they will study in the senior schools.

They will also select the Senior Schools they will attend in 2026 under the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). 

The candidates have 21 days to make their choice, with the selection process set to end on June 30.

The new process requires every learner in Grade 9 to key in their preferred subjects through an online portal: selection.education.go.ke. 

But first, all junior school headteachers are required to log into the system, upload each learner’s profile, and assist the candidates in choosing their preferred academic path.

Under the CBC, students are required to select a pathway. This means a general field of study or direction that a learner wishes to follow based on their interests, talents, and career goals. 

There are three main pathways: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Arts and Sports Science, and Social Sciences. 

For instance, a learner interested in becoming a doctor, pilot, or software developer may opt for STEM, while one who is more inclined towards music, drawing, or athletics would find Arts and Sports more suitable. 

Those who are passionate about history, business, languages, or teaching would fit well in the Social Sciences pathway. 

All senior schools are required to offer STEM as part of their curriculum, regardless of the other combinations they choose.

Once a learner chooses a pathway, they are required to select three subject combinations within that pathway.

For each subject combination selected, the learner must choose four senior schools they would prefer to attend, one from each of the four government-defined school clusters. 

In total, every learner will be required to choose 12 schools. The idea is to give learners a wide selection of schools across different regions and categories, improving their chances of admission based on available spaces.

Senior schools, on the other hand, have also been given their own set of tasks in preparation for the Grade 10 intake. 

Each school is required to log into the same system, declare the number of students they can admit in 2026, and upload at least two subject combinations they plan to offer. 

However, each subject combination must attract at least 15 students to be approved.

The proposed combinations must also be vetted and approved by the Sub-County Director of Education.

If a combination is rejected, the school will be required to revise it and submit another.

The Ministry has provided special guidance for learners with disabilities. 

These learners will not be required to select 12 schools like the rest; instead, they are to choose from among the special needs or integrated institutions that align with their disability. 

The process remains flexible to accommodate different cases, and teachers will be expected to support these learners and their families accordingly.

This marks one of the most interactive and learner-focused education transitions in Kenya’s history. 

For parents who may be unfamiliar with the CBC or who may not understand what pathways or subject combinations mean, teachers have been advised to simplify the language and give real-life examples that children and guardians can relate to. 

Education officials across the country have been instructed to monitor progress and offer technical support where needed. 

The Ministry has also released lists of approved subject combinations and school clusters to aid schools in the process.

In the old system, learners were placed in Form 1 mainly based on exam marks, and students would choose their preferred subjects at the end of Form 2. Two years after joining Secondary school