The Ministry of Education has restarted the national Grade 10 selection and placement exercise after resolving technical failures on the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS). The compressed selection window runs from Monday, September 7 to Friday, September 11, 2026, and schools must follow strict procedures to protect data integrity and ensure every eligible learner completes placement under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework.
Key Takeaways
- The Grade 10 selection portal on KEMIS was fixed and relaunched to complete placements by September 11, 2026.
- Schools will use secure credentials issued via Sub-County Directors and must maintain confidentiality.
- Each learner may choose one or two subject combination sets and up to eight senior school choices across defined categories.
- The Ministry enforces zero tolerance on fees for the placement exercise and requires printed, signed learner profiles for archiving.
Grade 10 selection: What you need to know
The Grade 10 selection exercise affects nearly 1.2 million candidates moving from Grade 9 into senior school under the CBE system. After initial log-in failures, database errors, and mis-mapped learner records, the Ministry issued a rapid response to clear technical backlogs and tighten security. The restored KEMIS portal now operates with enhanced firewall protections and clearer administrative workflows to limit further disruption.
Revised timeline and administrative directives
The Ministry announced the KEMIS selection portal would reopen at midnight on Sunday, September 6, 2026, providing a five-day working window from September 7 to September 11. To keep the process secure and auditable, officials set out the following directives:
- Secure credential distribution: Log-in credentials are issued to Sub-County Directors of Education, who then distribute them to Heads of Institutions. Schools must keep credentials confidential.
- Public search access: A public search portal remains available for parents and guardians to view and filter available schools and subject combinations before final submission.
- Data corrections: Junior schools can correct learner records (for example, gender mapping) in collaboration with KNEC to ensure accurate placement.
- Duplicate assessment numbers: Schools must verify and use only the active assessment number where duplicates exist.
- Documentation: Heads of Institutions must print each learner’s selection profile immediately after submission, obtain a parent/guardian signature, and archive the profile for audits.
- No levies: The exercise is free. Schools are prohibited from charging any administrative or computer levies related to placement.
Subject combinations and career guidance
Under the revised rules, learners select a minimum of one and a maximum of two sets of subject combinations. Schools should use the integrated pathways checker to match learner aptitude and school capacity quickly. If a learner’s first subject-choice set secures placement across all preferred schools, processing a second set is not required.
Counsellors must provide clear guidance about subject choices and career paths. For example, not choosing a niche subject such as Aviation at senior school does not permanently rule out that career—learners can acquire specialised competencies through later training routes.
New eight-school selection hierarchy
To make choices more strategic, the Ministry reduced the maximum number of senior school options from 12 to eight. These eight slots are grouped into four categories that balance national integration and local access:
- National Schools (Category C1): Top-tier institutions drawing learners nationally.
- Extra-County Schools (Category C2): Regional schools with boarding and strong academic reputations.
- County Schools (Category C3): County-level institutions serving local economies and needs.
- Sub-County Schools (Category C4): Local day schools within the learner’s home sub-county for daily commuting.
Private senior schools are listed under a separate category for families exploring private options.
Practical steps for schools, parents and learners
To avoid last-minute problems, follow these steps:
- Confirm receipt and confidentiality of KEMIS credentials from your Sub-County Director.
- Use the public search portal to shortlist schools and subject combinations before opening the school portal.
- Verify learner records—correct gender, active assessment numbers and absent candidate follow-up—before final submission.
- Print and file signed learner selection profiles immediately after submission for each candidate.
- Ensure no fees are charged and report any attempts to levy parents to the Sub-County Director in writing.
Where to get curriculum and exam resources
Teachers and parents preparing learners for senior school can find supporting resources and curriculum documents to aid subject selection and preparation. Useful resources include Grade 10 curriculum designs, a library of free CBC exams for practice, and detailed senior school curriculum designs to understand subject content and career pathways. For classroom planning and lesson support, see CBC lesson plans.
Final notes
The KEMIS fix and the Ministry’s updated guidelines seek to complete placements fairly and securely within the shortened window. Schools, parents and learners should act promptly: verify records, use the pathways checker, and archive signed profiles. Following these steps will help ensure a smooth transition into Grade 10 under the Competency-Based Education model.
