Kenya Records 97 Per Cent Transition Rate From Primary to Junior Secondary Schools

Kenya has recorded considerable progress in implementing its 100 per cent School Transition Policy, according to a recent report by the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs).

According to the report, 97 per cent of learners who completed Grade 6 in 2025 have successfully moved on to Junior Secondary School (JSS) in what is a near-universal compliance with the Competency-Based Curriculum framework.

The report suggests that Kenya's high transition figures were reflective of a strong collaboration between government, agencies, schools and parents.

The CBC system was initially rolled out in 2017, as part of a broader shift from the old 8-4-4 system. The new curriculum placed emphasis on holistic learning and continuous assessment, effectively replacing exam-centric progression to prepare learners for junior secondary and beyond.

While the government are delighted with the strides made in transitions to JSS, the Interior Ministry also acknowledged that efforts are needed to continue to reach the remaining learners who are yet to complete placement processes.

Besides JSS transition, the report showed that 61 per cent of eligible learners have already joined Senior Secondary School, with enrolment efforts still ongoing as of January 18, 2026.

In a bid to address barriers to full participation, authorities have extended reporting timelines, while also mobilising community-level actions, including door-to-door tracing and household mapping. This ensures that out-of-school children are identified and supported.

Further, the government has also undertaken infrastructure improvements, including the construction of CBC classrooms across the country to cope with the increased number of learners while also improving learning environments.

Despite the progress, the report also noted specific barriers which are delaying transition to Senior Secondary Schools, with financial constraints at the centre of the challenges.

There are also isolated cases of early pregnancies, learner, absenteeism or reluctance and placement delays which have been directly linked to families seeking alternative schools.

To curb these challenges, the government, in collaboration with parents, are strengthening bursary mobilisation, counselling and re-entry support, community engagement through local leadership structures and faster placement guidance.

Earlier in January, Education PS Julius Bitokreassured parents and learnersthat the transition to Grade 10 senior school is progressing smoothly, despite concerns of low student turnout in some schools.

Bitok emphasised that all 1.1 million learners have been placed in schools nationwide, with enough capacity to accommodate every student under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).