Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha announced a revised policy on May 11, 2022, requiring both day and boarding secondary schools to admit students transitioning from Grade 6 to Grade 7 under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The directive specifies that 1,500 primary schools with adequate infrastructure will host junior secondary classes for the first CBC cohort entering Grade 7 in 2023. Some of these institutions will later develop full secondary wings.
This follows earlier reports suggesting the ministry planned to place all Grade 7 students in day schools. Deputy Director for Secondary Education Lawrence Karundi had previously stated that boarding facilities would not be required for junior secondary students, emphasizing local school placements to address space constraints.
Karundi explained that the transition would prioritize proximity to students' current locations, minimizing the need for boarding. The policy also mandates assessments in five subjects—Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Integrated Sciences, and Creative and Social Sciences—to determine student placements.
The decision comes amid challenges posed by simultaneous transitions of Class 8 students under the previous curriculum. The ministry emphasized guidelines would ensure equitable access to junior secondary education nationwide.
