Government moves to calm fears ahead of Grade 10 transition

SAMUEL WAITITU -KNA

The Government has affirmed its readiness for the Grade 10 transition in January 2026 under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, amid growing concerns from school heads and stakeholders over the level of preparedness.

The concerns raised include the adequacy of facilities, sustainable financing, teacher retooling in career pathways, and congestion.

Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Ogamba, however, dispelled the fears, saying the government was fully prepared to transition all Grade 9 learners to Grade 10.

“The government is prepared to ensure a smooth transition, and learners are currently choosing their career pathways and schools,” he said. 

Speaking at the University of Embu grounds during the opening of the 6th Edition of the Evidence in East Africa (EE4A) Biennial Conference, the CS said.

He added that the transition to Grade 10 would be easier than the earlier move to Grade 9, which was more difficult due to inadequate infrastructure.

“We had to construct 23,000 classrooms to ensure Grade 9 learners were properly accommodated,” he noted, adding that the transition to Grade 10 will face no such challenges, since last year there was no Form One class and those moving to Grade 10 will occupy those spaces.

He said that the new CBE Senior Secondary phase focusses on developing learners’ intellectual abilities through introduction of a more personalized and holistic approach to education.

This, he said, will be done by offering students the opportunity to pursue one of the three key pathways including Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences or performing Arts and Sports.