Grade 10 students face learning materials, teacher shortage months after transition

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. Grade 10 students transitioned from Junior to Senior Secondary School in January 2026. [File, Standard]

Learning materials and teacher shortage remain major challenges for some Grade 10 students months after transiting from Junior to Senior Secondary School.

This has adversely affected learning in schools across the country, with fears that gains made in the education sector could be eroded in the coming months.

This comes after parents procured learning materials their children’s transition early in the year.

The government was forced to intervene with President William Ruto ordering all learners transitioning to Grade 10 to report to schools despite lacking fees.

Simon Wachira, the principal of Little Friends Academy in Naivasha, said the learners faced difficulties during selection of programmes under the Competence-Based Education.

Wachira welcomed the new systems that had adopted a collaborative approach to learning incorporating key co-curricular activities and sports.

"Government should enhance its resources allocation to schools to enable the procurement of necessary learning materials in order to bring equity," he said.

The principal was speaking in Naivasha after ushering in new democratic elections for students’ representatives for the school modeled in IEBC electoral processes.

The students elected a new president, and governors, a move he said would install a new student governance structure and nurture leadership skills and democracy in the school.

“The ongoing elections are part of empowering students in leadership skills and also preparing them for future elections when they become registered voters,” he said.

Ephraim Sankei, a teacher representing IEBC in the process said learners managed to elect their leaders in a transparent process.

 Sankei was optimistic that the system, the first for the school, would help build a new foundation and address key curriculum requirements of enhancing integrity and good governance.

Aquiline Njenda, a presidential candidate for the school, said the new system would improve communication between teachers and learners on emerging concerns.

Njenda promised to ensure better co-curricular activities and sports in the school.

Faustin Mwaura, another candidate for school president, said the democratic elections would provide an avenue to better engage with the administration and ensure patriotism for national building.