Last reviewed: 24 October 2026
One feature of the first senior school placement under Competency-Based Education surprised many parents: top learners in every sub-county got their preferred boarding schools, whatever the size or location of their junior school. This guide explains how that rule worked for the 2025 cohort, based on the Ministry of Education’s statement and media reports, and what it might mean for families now.
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The Rule in 2025
According to the Ministry of Education’s statement on the placement of Grade 9 learners, in every sub-county:
- the top six boys and top six girls in each STEM track got their preferred boarding schools;
- the top three boys and top three girls in Social Sciences did the same; and
- the top two boys and top two girls in Arts and Sports Science also got their preferred boarding schools.
STEM has three tracks (Pure Sciences, Applied Sciences and Technical Studies), so STEM accounted for the largest number of priority slots per sub-county.
Why It Matters
Under 8-4-4, admission to top national schools was often dominated by learners from a small number of well-resourced primary schools. Ranking within the sub-county means a high-performing learner in a rural or less-known school competes mainly with others nearby, not with the whole country. This is part of what the Ministry described as considerations “designed to promote merit, equity, and fairness”.
How the Ranking Is Decided
Placement uses a combined score: 60% from KJSEA, 20% from Grade 7 and 8 school-based assessment and 20% from KPSEA. The priority rule applies within the learner’s chosen pathway and track, so the pathway decision made in Grade 9 directly affects which group a learner is ranked in. Read KJSEA explained and school-based assessment explained.
Boys and Girls Ranked Separately
Because the rule counts boys and girls separately, the top girls and the top boys in each track both qualify, so priority places are spread evenly between them. Families should still make sure the preferred boarding schools listed actually admit their child’s gender, which you can check in the finder.
Everyone Else
Learners outside the priority groups were placed by an automated system considering their choices, performance and available space. Slots in each school category were shared between counties using a formula based on the County Revenue Allocation. See the placement and pathways guide.
Will the Same Rule Apply in 2026?
As of 24 October 2026, the Ministry had not published the placement rules for the 2026 cohort. The numbers above describe the 2025 process. Watch for official guidance after KJSEA results.
What Parents Can Take From This
- Every assessment counts. School-based assessments from Grade 4 onwards feed the score through KPSEA and Grades 7 and 8.
- Choose the pathway on fit. Picking a pathway only because it seems easier to rank in is risky; it determines three years of study.
- List real preferences. Priority learners got their preferred boarding schools, so the order and quality of choices matter.
- Keep realistic day options. Most learners will not be in the priority groups.
Explore Schools
Use the Senior School Finder to search all 9,569 public senior schools by county, cluster and boarding status. For learners still building their scores, the Monthly Pass at KSh 500 or the Year Pass at KSh 4,000 opens every practice paper, paid by M-Pesa.