The Ministry of Education has announced that parents will pay senior school fees based on the learning pathways chosen by Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) Grade 9 learners under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, while witnessing the official opening of the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams in Westlands on Monday, November 3, said the three pathways—STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports—will have slight variations in fees to reflect their unique learning requirements.
PS Bitok Says Senior School Fees Will Be Charged According to Students’ Pathway
Bitok was responding to a question on whether parents will continue using the same fee guidelines applied in current secondary schools or if they should expect new ones for senior schools.
“We are not expecting any significant difference in terms of fees. There could be marginal differences because of the introduction of pathways, but I want to assure parents that any adjustments in school fees are based on the pathways,” he said.
“As you are aware, we have three pathways — STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports. Each of these has different fee guidelines.”
Bitok assured parents that the overall cost will remain largely similar to current secondary school fees, with only minor adjustments guided by the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform.
“Overall, there is very little difference between the fees for secondary schools and senior schools. I want to assure parents that there isn’t much change; the adjustments are minimal and are based on the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform,” he added.
“That remains our baseline for any minor fee adjustments.”
Also Read: CS Ogamba Announces When KNEC Will Release KCSE, KPSEA, and KJSEA Results
PS on Marking, Release, and Placement for KJSEA Learners
At the same time, Bitok announced that marking of the KJSEA will begin immediately, with results expected by December 11, as preparations for the transition to senior school enter the final phase.
The PS stated that all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure marking commences immediately after the conclusion of the exams.
“Most of the KJSEA marking will be done electronically and completed expeditiously — within about 40 days — so that placement can take place in mid-December. Students will then report to senior school in early January,” he said.
“We have also set up a digital system to support this transition. Every learner is expected to get a place in senior school. There are 1.12 million learners taking the KJSEA, and 2.4 million available spaces in senior schools. Every learner will get a chance.”
Also Read: Govt Moves to Allay Fears Over 1.1 Million Grade 9 Learners Placement Crisis
No Certificates for KJSEA Candidates
Students who sat for KJSEA will not be issued certificates, as was the case with the now phased-out Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE). Instead, they will receive result slips indicating their performance in each subject.
The KJSEA is designed to evaluate learners’ competencies in various areas, including English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Social Studies, Religious Education, Agriculture, Pre-Technical Studies, Creative Arts, and Physical Education.
KJSEA results will contribute 60 percent of the learners’ final score, while the remaining 40 percent will come from classroom assessments done in Grades 7 and 8.
Schools have been categorized into four clusters: Cluster 1 (formerly national schools), Cluster 2 (extra-county schools), Cluster 3 (county schools), and Cluster 4 (day schools).
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