Kenya on the Way to Achieve 100% School Transition Goal

According to a new national report, 97% of learners who completed Grade 6 in 2025 have successfully transitioned to Junior Secondary School (JSS).

It’s a near-universal movement of children from one education level to the next – and a strong signal that the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) is taking root beyond policy rooms.

The report is compiled by National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) working closely with County Directors of Education.

It shows that Kenya is not just enrolling learners, but keeping them within the education system – tracking access, retention and progression across counties.

At the heart of this push is a simple principle: Every child has a constitutional and human right to education, and no learner should fall off the system because of cost, confusion or circumstance.

Junior Secondary

The standout achievement is JSS transition.

Moving 97% of learners forward means parents, schools, administrators, and communities all pulled in the same direction.

Senior Secondary

On Senior Secondary School transition, the numbers are still climbing.

So far, 61% of eligible learners have enrolled, with reporting ongoing.

To accommodate families facing delays – whether financial, logistical or personal – reporting timelines have been extended.

This flexibility is deliberate. It allows space for families still arranging fees, resolving placements or navigating challenges without locking learners out.

Community-level follow-ups are continuing across counties to ensure those yet to report are not forgotten.

What’s The Secret to this Milestone? 

A mix of old-school legwork and local accountability is driving progress:

• Door-to-door tracing and household mapping to find learners who haven’t reported.
• Barazas, church meetings, mosques, and local forums to sensitize parents and guardians.
• Bursaries and scholarships coordinated through County Governments, NG-CDF, and NGAOs to cushion vulnerable families.

The Challenges, So Far

Some challenges are still slowing Senior Secondary transition:

• Financial strain in some households.
• Isolated cases of early pregnancy.
• Learner reluctance or absenteeism.
• Delays caused by families seeking alternative school placements

In response, government actors and parents are doubling down on bursary mobilization, counseling, re-entry support, and faster placement guidance – using local leadership structures where trust already exists.

In a Nutshell ….

More Kenyans are treating education not as an optional privilege, but as the most reliable path to opportunity, productivity and national transformation.

With sustained collaboration between institutions and communities, Kenya is edging closer to a future where every learner is supported in transition.

Basically, it ensures that learner quietly disappears from the system.