Senior Schools in Tharaka Nithi County: Full List by Cluster and Sub-County

The Ministry of Education’s senior schools list (June 2025) names 159 public senior schools in Tharaka Nithi County, across 7 sub-counties. Meru South has the most, with 39, while Chiakariga has the fewest at 9. Compared with many counties, Tharaka Nithi leans towards boarding: 61 of its 159 schools (38%) take boarders, and only 98 are C4 day schools.

Its 5 C1 national schools: Chogoria Boys High School, Chogoria Girls, Kiriani Boys High School, Ikuu Boys High School and Kamatungu Secondary School for the Hearing Impaire. By cluster the county has 5 C1, 22 C2, 34 C3 and 98 C4 schools. 125 are mixed, 21 are girls’ schools and 13 are boys’ schools.

Senior Schools in Tharaka Nithi by Sub-County

Practical Tips for Tharaka Nithi Families

• 1 of Tharaka Nithi’s sub-counties (Tharaka North) have no C1 or C2 school, so families there who want those clusters will be looking at boarding schools in other sub-counties or counties.
• Among C1 and C2 schools here, 11 are girls-only and 10 are boys-only. Girls have more single-sex choices at this level than boys.
• If you want a mixed boarding school, the list has 30 in Tharaka Nithi, including ACK Kaanwa Secondary School, Itugururu Secondary School and Kajiampau Mixed Secondary School.
• For learners with special needs, Tharaka Nithi has 1 special needs school: Kamatungu Secondary School for the Hearing Impaire.
• Maara has the most C4 day schools in Tharaka Nithi (22), so learners there have the widest choice of nearby day schools.
• With 98 C4 day schools, list your realistic nearby day school among the 12 choices as a safe option, especially in Meru South, which has the widest choice.

How Grade 10 Selection Works for Tharaka Nithi Learners

Since 21 December 2025 the rule is 12 choices spread over C1, C2, C3 and C4. A Tharaka Nithi family might pick from the county’s 5 C1 and 22 C2 schools for the top slots, then fill the rest from its 34 C3 and 98 C4 options. The placement score is 60% KJSEA, 20% school-based assessment from Grades 7 and 8 and 20% KPSEA. Because a school can only place your child in a pathway it actually runs, and the list for Tharaka Nithi doesn’t record pathways, check with the school directly. Useful next steps: CBC pathways explained, the KJSEA grade calculator and our placement guide.

Fees at Tharaka Nithi Senior Schools

Gazette Notice 1449 of 2026 makes public day senior schools free of tuition for parents, which covers 98 schools in Tharaka Nithi. The 61 schools that board can charge parents at most KSh 53,554 or KSh 40,535 a year, by ceiling. The notice does not name schools, so ask for the fee structure on letterhead. See senior school fees 2026.

Full List of Tharaka Nithi Senior Schools by Cluster

C1 (national) Schools in Tharaka Nithi (5)

C2 (extra-county type) Schools in Tharaka Nithi (22)

C3 (county type) Schools in Tharaka Nithi (34)

C4 (sub-county day) Schools in Tharaka Nithi (98)

Revising for KJSEA now? Our KJSEA revision guide and practice papers help Grade 9 learners prepare. Search all Tharaka Nithi schools in the school finder or go back to senior schools in Kenya.

Source: Ministry of Education, Senior Schools in Kenya (June 2025). Names tidied for readability.