The Ministry of Education has formally released the guidelines for implementing Competency-Based Education (CBE) at the Senior School level, setting the stage for a historic transition in Kenya’s education system.
In a circular dated August 8, 2025, Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Prof. Amb. Julius Bitok, confirmed that the first group of learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) will advance to Grade 10 in January 2026. This milestone marks the launch of the fourth tier in the CBC framework.
“The essence of Senior School is to offer learners a pre-tertiary, pre-university, or pre-career experience,” the PS noted, framing the stage as a crucial bridge between Junior School and higher education or the workforce.
Senior School will cover Grades 10, 11, and 12, catering to students aged around 15 to 17 years. It will conclude with CBC exit competencies designed to nurture citizenship, ethical values, and productivity.
Learners will be required to take seven subjects—four compulsory and three elective. The compulsory subjects are English, Kiswahili, Core or Essential Mathematics, and Community Service Learning (CSL). The electives will come from three major pathways: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Arts and Sports Science; and Social Sciences.
Interestingly, students outside the STEM pathway will still have the option to study Core Mathematics if their Junior School assessment results support this choice. This flexibility, according to the Ministry, is intended to align subject selection with each learner’s career ambitions, talents, and personal strengths.
“Learners may select subjects across different pathways to suit their aptitude and interests,” Prof. Bitok said, encouraging a departure from rigid, single-pathway learning models.
The directive has been sent to all Regional, County, and Sub-County Directors of Education, as well as Senior School principals and Quality Assurance officers. It has also been shared with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), and the TVET and university education departments, signalling a nationwide rollout.
