According to the Ministry of Education Guidelines on Selection and Placement of Learners to Senior School, learners will be placed in Grade 10 based on learner preferences, academic performance, psychometric assessments, equity considerations, and the capacity of individual senior schools.
The guidelines set out the criteria used to determine how learners will be placed after completing the Grade 9 assessment and selecting their preferred pathways, tracks, subject combinations, and senior schools.
Learners’ choices will the a key consideration in the placement process. The selections made will cover the preferred pathway, track, subject combination and senior schools where learners wish to continue their education.
The guidelines further set specific criteria for learners who will secure boarding places in schools of their choice based on performance in different pathways and tracks.
Grade 10 Boarding placement based on performance
For learners pursuing STEM, the top six learners of each gender in every STEM track within each sub-county will be placed in boarding schools of their choice.
“Top 6 learners per gender in each STEM track per sub-county will be placed for Boarding in schools of choice,” the ministry stated.
In the Social Sciences pathway, the top three learners of each gender in every track per sub-county will be placed in boarding schools of their choice.
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Learners pursuing Arts and Sports Science will also have an opportunity to secure boarding places based on the same merit-based approach. The top two learners of each gender in every Arts and Sports Science track per sub-county will be placed in boarding schools of their choice.
Beyond the specified top-performing learners in each pathway, the Ministry guidelines provide for the placement of candidates who attain an average Achievement Level of 7 and 8 in their respective tracks into boarding schools of their choice.
“Placement of Candidates with Achievement Level of averaging 7 and 8 per track to boarding schools of their choice.”
This means that performance will remain a key consideration for learners seeking boarding placement, alongside the choices they make during the senior school selection exercise.
However, selecting a particular school does not, by itself, guarantee placement. The guidelines require the placement process to consider the availability of space and resources in the schools learners select.
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Academic merit and learner preferences
Academic performance will also play a role in determining Grade 10 placement. According to the Ministry guidelines, a learner’s performance in the Grade 9 assessment will be considered when determining placement into senior school.
Psychometric assessments will provide another basis for placement. These assessments will focus on identifying learners’ aptitude, interests and talents, with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and individual schools involved in the assessment process.
The Ministry guidelines also provide for equity in the placement process. Regional balancing will be applied to ensure fair access to senior school opportunities for learners from different regions.
School capacity will also be considered before placement is finalised. Availability of space and resources in the respective schools applied for will determine whether a learner can be placed in a particular school.
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