Pathways without lanes: Senior school transition faces challenges

Education CS Julius Migos addresses the Press after visiting teachers admitted to Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, on February 1, 2026. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

As Kenya’s pioneer Grade 10 cohort settles into senior secondary school, a long-awaited phase of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) has officially begun.

Learners are expected to start specialised learning under three broad pathways of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports Science. 

But as the first weeks unfold, it is becoming increasingly clear that the promise of choice and specialisation is colliding with harsh realities on the ground.

From shortages of trained teachers to inadequate infrastructure, particularly in county and sub-county schools, many institutions are struggling to deliver the pathways as designed. 

Education stakeholders now warn that poor planning for the transition risks undermining one of the most ambitious reforms in Kenya’s education history.

For learners, the excitement of moving into senior school has been mixed with uncertainty. 

While Grade 10 reporting has begun, curriculum delivery in many schools is yet to fully take off. A major concern is the lack of trained teachers in key learning areas such as sports science, technical subjects, and specialised STEM courses.

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) chairman Willie Kuria says many principals are improvising to keep learning going.

“We are using Physics teachers to handle Electricity, Power Mechanics and related subjects. Some schools will, for some time, be using Biology teachers to teach Marine and Fisheries as well as Aviation, but this is not sustainable. We urge the government to fast-track the employment of teachers in technical subjects,” Kuria said.

In recent months, several schools have advertised vacancies in specialised areas on Board of Management terms, a clear sign that staffing gaps remain unresolved even as learners report. 

The STEM pathway alone comprises four tracks: Pure Sciences, Applied Sciences, Technical and Engineering, and Career and Technology Studies, each requiring teachers with highly specific training.

Stakeholders argue that while the curriculum is sound on paper, teacher preparation has lagged behind and the burden will finally fall on parents. 

“After admission of learners, Grade 10 meetings for parents have been scheduled on February 28, where the school is going to give the true costs of running those pathways,” said a parent at Malava High School. 

Former Knut secretary general Wilson Sossion has repeatedly warned that the success of CBC pathways depends heavily on teacher readiness.

“A curriculum is as good as the teacher’s preparation. That teacher preparation is still a challenge today,” Sossion said.

Infrastructure is another major hurdle where many county and sub-county schools lack functional science laboratories, workshops, ICT facilities, and reliable Internet connectivity needed for pathway-based learning. 

While some national and extra-county schools appear ready, the majority of public schools, especially in rural areas, remain under-resourced.

Education researchers paint a more sobering picture.

A recent report by Zizi Afrique Foundation and Usawa Agenda estimates a national shortage of about 100,000 teachers across all levels of education, with acute deficits in STEM and technical subjects. 

The study also found that only 21 per cent of teachers in public junior schools were trained in STEM learning areas, while 35 per cent of schools had no STEM teacher at all.