NAIVASHA, Kenya — More than 100,000 requests from parents and learners seeking revisions to Grade 10 placements were received by the Ministry of Education on the first day of a seven-day review window, highlighting widespread concern over the initial placement outcomes under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said by 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 23, the ministry had already processed and approved more than 2,000 requests, with thousands more under active review.
“So far, we have received over 100k requests for revising pathways, and as of 4 pm today, the ministry has approved over 2,000,” Bitok said while speaking during an assessment selection exercise at Naivasha Boys’ Boarding School.
The review window was announced on Sunday, December 21, following complaints from parents and candidates dissatisfied with the initial placement of Grade 9 learners into senior schools. The placements followed the release of results from the inaugural Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), which were issued on December 11, 2025.
Bitok explained that to speed up the process and reduce bottlenecks, the ministry had decentralised part of the review exercise.
Requests involving Category One (C1) schools are being handled centrally at the ministry headquarters in Nairobi, while those involving placements up to Cluster Four (C4) schools have been delegated to line officers across the country.
“Placement reviews for Category One schools are being handled centrally in Nairobi, while requests involving schools up to Cluster Four have been delegated to our officers in the field to ensure the process moves faster,” he said.
The PS acknowledged that the system experienced temporary digital disruptions earlier in the day, briefly slowing the review process. However, he said the challenges had been resolved after technical teams restored services at the Konza data centre.
“There were slight hiccups over digital detail, but it has been restored at Konza,” Bitok said, adding that the system was now running smoothly.
He urged parents and learners to exercise patience, noting that the seven-day review period had officially commenced on Tuesday and that all applications would be addressed within the stipulated timeframe.
“Parents should be patient as the seven days commenced today for the revision, and I am asking all of you to take up the period given,” he said.
The review window is intended to give learners an opportunity to seek changes to their assigned pathways and schools, particularly where parents feel the placements do not align with the learners’ interests, abilities or career aspirations. The ministry has said reviews will be considered based on available capacity, learner performance and the guiding principles of the CBE framework.
Education stakeholders say the high number of requests reflects both the novelty of the system and heightened anxiety among parents navigating the transition from junior to senior school under the new structure. The current cohort is the first to sit the KJSEA examinations, which replaced the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) under the reformed curriculum.
According to the Ministry of Education, the placement exercise is a key pillar of the Competency-Based Education system, which seeks to align learning pathways with national development priorities, global education trends, and the need to equip learners with practical skills and competencies for a competitive job market.
Officials maintain that while adjustments are expected in the early stages of implementation, the system is designed to offer flexibility and accommodate learner choice over time.
The ministry has encouraged parents to use official channels for review requests and avoid relying on unofficial intermediaries.
As the review window continues, attention will remain on how efficiently the ministry processes the remaining applications and whether the exercise addresses public concerns about equity, access, and transparency in the first senior school placements under the CBE system.
