Kenya has several schools that have operated for years under a pre-selection admission.
These senior schools identify and admit learners before the main government placement exercise.
The system predates the current transition to Senior School under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system and was created to serve schools established for specific purposes and special groups of learners.
These slots are reserved for students depending on the purpose for which each school was established, including children of military and police officers, learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, and other groups identified under the schools’ special admission arrangements.
How Pre-Selection Works in Senior Schools
Under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, learners select their pathways and senior schools in Grade 9.
The Ministry of Education’s placement system matches learners with schools based on their choices, performance and available capacity.
Also Read: Where Can Grade 10 Learners Study STEM? Full List of Senior Schools and Subject Combinations
The three pathways are STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports.
However, some Senior Schools fall under a different arrangement known as pre-selection. These institutions were started for specific purposes and do not operate like schools where all admission places are filled through the ordinary placement exercise.
Grade 9 learners are expected to indicate these schools among their choices during Junior School registration.
Learners already selected under the special arrangement are submitted to the Ministry of Education to prevent double selection.
The Ministry of Education assigns such learners a “Pre-Select” status in the placement system.
Choosing a pre-selection school does not necessarily give every learner the same admission opportunity as choosing an ordinary Senior School.
List of Senior Schools with Pre-Selection Quotas
The schools identified under the arrangement include institutions associated with special groups and specific purposes.
The admission proportions include reserved places for those groups, with the remaining places available through the general civilian placement process.
Starehe Boys’ Centre and Starehe Girls’ Centre are listed at 100%, while Moi Tea Girls School has the lowest stated pre-selection proportion at 40%.
| Senior School | Reserved Pre-Selection Share |
| Starehe Boys’ Centre and School | 100% |
| Starehe Girls’ Centre | 100% |
| Moi Forces Academy-Nairobi | 80% |
| Moi Forces Academy-Lanet | 80% |
| Utumishi Boys Academy | 80% |
| Utumishi Girls Academy | 80% |
| Koelel Forces Academy | 50% |
| Uzalendo Academy | 50% |
| Moi Tea Girls School | 40% |
The percentages do not mean the schools admit only the named special groups in every case. They indicate the proportion of admission places identified under the pre-selection arrangement, with the balance available for other learners.
Also Read: STEM, Social Sciences or Arts? How to Choose the Right CBC Pathway for Grade 10
What Happens During Grade 10 Placement
The pre-selection system operates alongside the Grade 10 placement process. In the first national transition to Senior School under CBE, learners could choose 12 preferred Senior Schools across the C1 to C4 categories.
The Ministry of Education’s Grade 10 Selection System is the official platform for managing learners’ Senior School choices and pathway information.
For learners dissatisfied with their initial placement, the Ministry has provided mechanisms for reviewing school choices. During the 2025/26 transition, the Ministry announced a seven-day review period. An automated system guided changes, considering the learner’s preferences, performance, and place availability.
Ministry of Education also cautions learners and parents that some pre-selection schools may have limited opportunities for learners outside the designated groups because a proportion of their places has already been allocated.
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