C2 senior schools (extra-county)

Cluster 2 (C2) has 709 public senior schools in 46 of the 47 counties. Media reports describe C2 as broadly the former extra-county schools. These are well-established boarding schools that take learners from beyond their home county. All 709 are boarding schools: 319 are boys’ schools, 328 are girls’ schools and 62 are mixed. The counties with the most C2 schools are Kitui (38), Kakamega (29), Kisii (28), Murang’a (25), Meru and Kiambu (24 each).

Why C2 deserves a close look

For many families, C2 is where the best balance of competition, facilities and distance lies. When your child picks 12 schools across C1 to C4, including several C2 schools in a pathway they are committed to gives them strong options without relying only on C1 places. Before choosing, check which subject combinations each school offers in your child’s pathway. Combinations differ from school to school, even within the same cluster. Think about travel too, because every C2 school is boarding and you will be making several trips a year.

Fees at C2 schools

Because C2 schools are boarding, the parent fee ceilings for boarding in Gazette Notice 1449 of 2026 apply, split 50:30:20 across the three terms. Our senior school fees 2026 guide and fees by school category explain the figures.

All 709 C2 schools are listed below by county. Use the finder filtered to C2 to narrow the list by sub-county or gender.