Kenya nears full school CBE transition

Sarah Ombiri head of Dunga primary and junior Secondary school inspects grade 7 as they reported to school on January 13, 2025. [Michael Mute, Standard]

Kenya has recorded major gains in implementing the 100 per cent School Transition Policy, with 97 per cent of learners who completed Grade 6 in 2025 successfully moving to

Junior Secondary School (JSS), marking a significant milestone in the rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

According to a report compiled by National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) in collaboration with County Directors of Education, the country is sustaining strong

momentum in learner access, retention and progression across the basic education cycle. Education officials say the near-universal transition reflects growing public acceptance of CBC pathways and intensified government-community coordination.

“We reaffirm the Government’s commitment to full transition as a national imperative,” the statement reads.

“Every child has a human and constitutional right to education, and we must all work together to avoid preventable dropouts driven by cost barriers, delayed placement or social vulnerabilities.”

The 100 per cent transition policy was introduced to ensure that no learner is locked out of school due to poverty, cultural practices or systemic gaps.

Under CBC, learners progress seamlessly from primary to junior secondary and later to senior secondary, with multiple pathways aligned to skills, talent and academic strengths.

The report further indicates that 61 per cent of eligible learners have already joined Senior Secondary School, even as enrollment remains ongoing.

Authorities extended reporting timelines following concerns raised by parents, school heads and education stakeholders, acknowledging that some families continue to face financial and logistical challenges.

“The extension of reporting timelines is an inclusive measure to reach learners who are yet to report or complete placement processes,” the report notes, adding that coordinated community-level actions are continuing across all counties.

To close remaining gaps, the government has rolled out targeted interventions aimed at tracing and re-engaging learners who risk falling through the cracks. These include door-

to-door household mapping by NGAOs, community sensitisation through barazas, religious institutions and local forums, and expanded bursary and scholarship support.

Bursaries are being coordinated through County Governments, the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) and NGAOs to minimise financial exclusion, particularly for vulnerable learners.

“We appreciate all Kenyans who are part of our community-led interventions anchored in local accountability. We are intensifying targeted interventions to ensure every eligible learner transitions smoothly across all pathways,” the statement says.

Despite the progress, the report identifies persistent barriers delaying Senior Secondary School transition.

These include financial constraints, isolated cases of early pregnancies, learner absenteeism or reluctance, and placement delays linked to families seeking alternative schools.

In response, both government actors and parents are strengthening bursary mobilisation, counselling and re-entry support for affected learners.

Local leadership structures are also being leveraged to improve community engagement, while education offices are offering faster placement guidance to families.

Education officials say the progress achieved so far goes beyond policy compliance and signals a broader cultural shift.

“This reflects more than compliance. It reflects a growing national culture that  recognises education as the most reliable path to productivity, opportunity and national transformation,” the report states.

With enrollment still ongoing, the government has urged parents and guardians to work closely with local administrators to ensure every eligible learner reports to school and completes their education journey.