Anxiety mounts over delays in Grade 10 school placements

Anxiety is growing among parents and learners who sat the grade nine assessment, following delays in grade ten school placements.

This comes despite assurances from the ministry of education that the placement exercise would run from December 15, to December 19, 2025 without any delays.

The Education Ministry says the process is fully automated, but it is crucial for parents and learners preparing to report to senior school in the second week of January.

Anne Ndunge, a guardian from Makueni, said that she has faced delays with getting results yet schools reopen in the next two weeks.                    

“I tried to get out this morning and it failed. Now I don't know the number you said we should use, 22263. It failed. Nothing comes up when you send it. It tells you, "dear learner, the requested information is unavailable." Now I don't know. Should we send someone to bring it? Schools are open for two weeks to omen. Should we plan ahead?” she posed.

Last Thursday, during the release of the first Kenya Junior School Assessment (KJSEA) results, Education CS Julius Migos said learners would be informed of their pathways and senior school placements within a week.

“We are going to use a digital system to place these leaners immediately and we are confident that by next week these leaners will know where they have been placed and they can confirm,” he said on December 11.

Basic Education PS Julius Bitok added that “any challenges that student might come across or any student or leaner that may feel they have been placed in the wrong pathway or school will have a change within two weeks to revise”.

Luikewise, on Wednesday, PS Bitok confirmed that the senior school placement process is nearly complete, offering a glimmer of relief to anxious parents and learners.

“Placement of grade 10 leaners is underway and from Friday this week the 20th December leaners will know which schools and pathways they have been placed,” he said.

Since Monday, parents and learners have been checking their placement results by sending their assessment numbers to the short code 22263.

The response they have consistently received reads: “dear learner, the placement results for grade 10 senior school are in progress. You will be informed when ready for checking.”

However, from late this evening, the message received after sending the same assessment number to the same code has changed.

Parents are now urging the ministry of education to urgently provide clarity and a way forward.