The government has warned secondary schools that fail to admit learners into Grade 10 that they risk closure as Kenya rolls out senior secondary education under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba issued the warning on Tuesday, January 20, during an interview on a local radio station, following mounting complaints from school heads whose institutions have recorded low or zero Grade 10 enrollment. Ogamba said the government will no longer sustain schools that learners actively avoid during the placement process.
He made it clear that the ministry will not intervene to fill schools that students did not choose, arguing that doing so would undermine the principles of the CBC.
Placement System Driven by Student Choice
Ogamba explained that the Grade 10 placement process gives decision-making power to students and parents. Learners select schools based on career pathways, interests, and available options, while the Ministry of Education only facilitates the process.
“Some schools are saying they have not received a single applicant,” Ogamba said. “The policy is clear: students choose schools. The ministry does not choose schools for students. If no student has chosen your school, what exactly should the ministry do?”
He added that schools must accept the consequences of a learner-driven system. According to the Cabinet Secretary, the government cannot force students into institutions they did not select simply to keep those schools operational.
Ogamba stated that persistent low enrolment forces the government to rethink how it allocates resources, teachers, and infrastructure. He warned that schools that fail to attract learners may face closure as part of ongoing education reforms.
He argued that maintaining empty or underutilized schools drains public resources without delivering value to learners. In such cases, the government may redeploy teachers, merge institutions, or shut down schools altogether.
“These are difficult decisions, but we must confront reality,” Ogamba said. “We cannot run schools that serve no students.”
Demand Concentrated in Few Elite Schools
The Cabinet Secretary raised concerns over the extreme concentration of demand in a small number of elite institutions, particularly national schools. He noted that tens of thousands of learners compete for places in schools with very limited capacity, while many other institutions struggle to attract applicants.
“In some cases, 50,000 students want to join a school that can only admit 700 learners,” Ogamba said. “That imbalance shows that our system does not distribute opportunity fairly.”
He said the current pattern creates unnecessary congestion in a few schools while leaving others underused, despite having qualified teachers and approved infrastructure.
To address the imbalance, the government plans to devolve some high-demand schools, including selected national schools, to county-level management. Ogamba said the move aims to replicate the standards, facilities, and performance of top institutions across the country.
“What is so difficult about reproducing 1,450 schools of this nature in our wards so that every ward has a school with the facilities and standards everyone wants?” he asked. “We will ensure there are super schools in every ward.”
The ministry plans to roll out the initiative gradually, starting with counties that recorded the highest demand for national school placements.
Reducing Travel and Congestion
Ogamba said the proposed reforms will reduce congestion in elite schools and limit the need for learners to travel long distances in search of quality education. He noted that many students currently attend schools far from their homes simply because of perceived prestige.
By strengthening schools at the local level, the government hopes to keep learners closer to their families while maintaining academic quality.
“This approach will reduce pressure on a few institutions and make quality education accessible everywhere,” Ogamba said.
While management of some high-performing schools will shift to counties, Ogamba insisted that national standards will remain intact. He said the national government will continue to oversee curriculum delivery, teacher deployment, assessment, and learning outcomes.
He assured parents and educators that devolution will not compromise academic quality or accountability. Instead, he said, it will improve efficiency and responsiveness to local needs.
Schools Push Back, Blame Perception
The warning has triggered anxiety among school heads, especially in rural and marginalized areas where some institutions have recorded very low student turnout. Several principals fear closure, staff redeployment, or reduced capitation if enrollment does not improve.
School heads have defended their institutions, arguing that the curriculum remains the same nationwide and that enrollment patterns reflect perception rather than actual quality. They say parents and learners often associate excellence with long-established national schools while overlooking newer or lesser-known institutions.
Ogamba acknowledged the concern but dismissed perception as an excuse. He said schools must adapt, innovate, and build trust with communities to attract learners.
“If learners avoid your school year after year, then something is wrong,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary reiterated the government’s commitment to achieving a 100 per cent transition rate from Grade 9 to Grade 10. He revealed that the current admission rate stands at about 75 per cent.
Ogamba expressed confidence that the figure will rise to over 90 per cent before the admission deadline on Wednesday, January 21. He said the ministry has deployed education officials and local administrators to conduct door-to-door campaigns to encourage parents to send children to school.
Addressing Barriers to Enrollment
Ogamba said the government is actively addressing barriers that prevent learners from reporting to school. These include school fees, uniforms, and basic learning requirements.
He stated that no child should miss out on education because of financial or logistical challenges, especially during a critical transition under the CBC.
“This reform will not succeed if we leave learners behind,” he said.
As the Grade 10 admission window narrows, schools with low enrollment now face increasing pressure to justify their continued operation. The ministry’s message remains direct: in a student-driven education system, schools must attract learners or face closure.
The government insists that the CBC transition demands efficiency, equity, and accountability. Schools that fail to adapt may not survive the reforms.
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