Kenya will on Monday mark a historic milestone in education as the first cohort of Grade 10 learners under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system transitions to senior school.

Approximately 1.13 million students across the country will begin studies in the newly introduced STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports pathways, ushering in a skills-focused learning era.

Statistics from the Ministry of Education show that more than half of the transitioning learners have chosen the STEM pathway, 437,000 opted for Social Sciences and 124,000 selected Arts and Sports.

Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the admission process will be fully digital, conducted through the same system used during the placement exercise, to enhance transparency and efficiency. He added that by the end of the week, the ministry expects to have a clear picture of how many students have reported to schools.

While the transition is celebrated as a milestone, it faces significant challenges, including a shortage of teachers, infrastructure gaps and the urgent need to deliver textbooks to the 1.13 million students.

Last week, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and the Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) held a joint meeting to plan the printing and nationwide distribution of Grade 10 textbooks.

KPA Chairperson Kiarie Kamau assured KICD that production of the 35 approved textbooks and literary works for Grade 10 learners would start immediately following the government’s release of Sh5.64 billion.

He noted that at least 50 per cent of the required books would be delivered to schools by Friday, January 16, 2026, with full printing and nationwide distribution scheduled for completion by January 31, 2026.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has also highlighted critical deficits in technical subjects, including marine and fisheries, agriculture and creative arts. According to the commission, the country needs 35,000 teachers for STEM, 14,600 for Social Sciences and 8,778 for Arts and Sports.

TSC Acting Chief Executive Officer Eveleen Mitei assured parents on Friday that the commission would recruit adequate staff to support the senior school transition.

“We want to assure parents that teachers are prepared to receive Grade 10 CBE candidates joining senior school from Monday. Our teachers are equipped with the competencies, skills, and confidence required to meet the diverse learning needs of our students,” she said.

She said teachers have been equipped with the competencies and confidence to handle diverse learner needs, but acknowledged gaps in facilities and staffing in some institutions.

“I appeal to heads of institutions to creatively broaden the curriculum offerings, even where facilities may be inadequate, to allow learners to explore their full potential,” she said, adding that TSC remains committed to addressing shortages, especially in specialised learning areas.

Infrastructure gaps, particularly classrooms and laboratories, have also posed a major hurdle as learner numbers grew. Although the government has committed to building 1,600 laboratories, many schools currently lack the facilities required to teach practical subjects such as electricity and aviation.

Education stakeholders have warned that failing to address these gaps could create a two-tier system, favouring learners in top-tier schools and widening the urban-rural education divide.