Francis Wambugu Irungu The Ministry of Education has granted dissatisfied Grade 10 learners a vital second opportunity to revise their Senior School placements, starting next week.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced the extension on Tuesday, December 30, allowing revisions from Tuesday, January 6, to Friday, January 9, 2026. This follows the release of first review results on Monday, December 29, addressing widespread concerns over initial allocations.
The process stems from the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) placements, which began with initial selections from December 14-19.
Over 355,000 review applications flooded in during the first window (December 23-29), reflecting intense competition for top schools. Notably, 211,000 learners, about 88%, secured their preferred institutions, a success rate CS Ogamba hailed as evidence of the system’s fairness. However, high-demand schools like Alliance High School, Kenya High School, and Mangu High School drew up to 20,000 applications each for just 500 slots, leading to bottlenecks.
Around 144,000 applications faced rejection, primarily due to capacity constraints or unavailable subject combinations under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Popular pathways for learners in the “exceeding expectations” band clashed with limited spots, prompting the ministry’s intervention. “This second window ensures no child is left behind,” Ogamba stated, emphasizing alignment with career tracks in STEM, social sciences, and arts.
Learners can access results and revise choices via the official placement portal at https://placement.kjsea.go.ke or by sending their index number to 22263 via SMS. Parents and guardians are urged to log in promptly, verify details, and select up to three preferences based on performance bands and school capacities. The ministry warns against falsifying data, with strict penalties for violations.
This extension underscores the CBC’s shift toward personalized education, moving beyond rote exams to holistic pathways. As Kenya rolls out Senior School in 2026, such adjustments aim to reduce dropout risks and match talents to opportunities. Over 1.2 million Grade 9 learners transitioned into the system this year, with ongoing tweaks to refine equity.
Education stakeholders welcome the move but call for expanded infrastructure at oversubscribed schools. For updates, follow the Ministry’s channels or KJSEA portal.
