NAIROBI, Kenya – The government has unveiled a new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered system to guide the transition of Grade Nine learners to senior school, marking a major technological milestone in the rollout of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the digital model—now being piloted—will determine how 1.13 million learners sitting the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) this week are placed in senior schools in January.
Dr Bitok said the platform, built to enhance fairness and transparency, will ensure all learners—regardless of their location or background—have equal opportunities to join well-equipped institutions.
“This will ensure distribution of learners to these schools is fair,” he said, noting that the system uses AI algorithms to match learners’ performance, preferences, and selected career pathways to available schools.
Under the new model, schools are categorized into four clusters: Cluster One (national), Cluster Two (extra-county), Cluster Three (county), and Cluster Four (sub-county/day schools).
Cluster One schools, formerly national schools, will draw students from all 47 counties to promote national cohesion and inclusivity.
These elite institutions—over 100 in number—will offer all three career pathways: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Social Sciences; and Arts and Sports.
Learner placement will depend on a cumulative performance score, combining:
- 20% from the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) at Grade Six,
- 20% from school-based assessments in Grades Seven and Eight, and
- 60% from the final KJSEA exam.
Dr Bitok said the ministry had already secured adequate capacity for the transition, with about 2.4 million Grade 10 slots available against 1.13 million learners expected to move to senior school.
“We will ensure every student accesses quality education as we integrate private schools, many of which have invested heavily in infrastructure,” he said.
Each of Kenya’s 9,350 public secondary schools will offer at least two of the three pathways, while 60 percent of schools will specialize in STEM subjects.
To enhance flexibility, the government will allow a one-week revision window for learners to review their school choices after the release of KJSEA results—similar to the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) process.
“With AI, the ministry should be able to do permutations and ensure every learner is placed in senior school,” Dr Bitok said, expressing confidence that the system would foster fairness and national cohesion.
He added that the system will also integrate private institutions, allowing learners to select schools of their choice from both public and private sectors.
