NAIROBI, Kenya — The Ministry of Interior has announced nationwide door-to-door inspections to trace learners who are yet to report to Senior Secondary School and Junior Secondary School (JSS), as the government intensifies efforts to achieve full transition under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
In a statement issued on Sunday, January 18, the ministry said 61 per cent of eligible learners had so far joined Senior Secondary School, while 97 per cent of learners who completed Grade 6 successfully transitioned to JSS.
“We reaffirm the Government’s commitment to full transition as a national imperative: every child has a human and constitutional right to education,” the ministry said.
It added that the inspections will be conducted countrywide through local administrative structures to identify learners who have not reported to school and address the reasons behind their absence.
The ministry said it will also roll out community sensitisation forums, including barazas, religious institutions and local platforms, to mobilise parents and guardians to ensure learners report to school.
To reduce financial exclusion, the government will coordinate bursaries and scholarships for vulnerable learners through county governments, the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) and National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs).
According to the ministry, the slower transition to Senior Secondary School has been driven by financial constraints, isolated cases of early pregnancy, learner absenteeism or reluctance, and placement delays linked to families seeking alternative schools.
“While progress is significantly strong, the report notes specific barriers that are pragmatically delaying Senior Secondary School transition,” the ministry said.
In response, it noted that both government actors and parents are strengthening bursary mobilisation, counselling and re-entry support, community engagement through local leadership, and faster placement guidance.
The announcement comes days after Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok assured the country that there is sufficient capacity to absorb all learners moving to Grade 10.
In a statement on Thursday, January 15, Bitok said the government had 1.5 million available spaces against 1.1 million learners eligible for Senior Secondary School placement.
“The Grade 10 transition process is proceeding smoothly,” Bitok said, adding that the government was considering extending the reporting deadline to allow latecomers to join.
The push for full transition is anchored in Article 53 of the Constitution, which guarantees every child the right to free and compulsory basic education, and has been a central pillar of the CBC rollout.
Education stakeholders say the success of the door-to-door initiative will depend on timely financial support and coordination between national and county governments to prevent permanent dropouts.
