NAIROBI, Kenya – Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has assured parents and stakeholders that learners currently in Grade Nine will transition seamlessly to senior secondary school in 2026.
Speaking at the official opening of the 6th Biennial Education Evidence for Action (EE4A) Conference at Embu University, Ogamba said the government is actively addressing infrastructure gaps to support the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
“Unlike Grade Nine, which was domiciled in primary schools that lacked adequate classrooms, the transition to senior secondary will be easier since learners will be accommodated for three years, with provisions for additional classes where needed,” Ogamba said.
The CS confirmed that school capitation funds have already been released to sustain operations and announced that the government is working closely with universities and teacher training colleges to realign programmes with CBC requirements.
He revealed that 11 education-related Bills are currently before the Cabinet, aimed at amending laws to streamline the sector. Among the key priorities, he noted, is continuous teacher training.
“As CBC enters its ninth year, teachers require retooling to meet its demands. Data on teacher needs must also be accurate, since every year the country will require an additional 35,000 teachers,” he said.
Ogamba acknowledged past challenges of unreliable data in the education sector, stressing the need for clean and credible information to guide planning, particularly on teacher deployment.
On higher education, the CS said universities are reviewing tuition fees even as the government prioritises student financing, with Ksh 9.4 billion allocated to the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and Ksh 17 billion under the new funding model.
He further assured that assessments and exams will continue to be administered effectively to support continuous learning and evaluation under CBC.
