The Ministry of Education's decision to conduct Grade 10 school and pathway selection at the end of August has drawn mixed reactions, with teachers and education stakeholders warning that the late exercise could leave learners with little time to make informed decisions before joining senior school.
About 1.2 million Grade 9 learners are expected to move to Grade 10 under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, where they will select senior schools, subject combinations and career pathways through the ministry's automated placement system.
The learners will choose from three pathways: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports Science. The choices are expected to determine the direction of their studies throughout senior school and influence their future careers.
This year's selection exercise has been scheduled for August 24 to September 11 after learners return from the school holidays, a shift from last year's exercise, which was carried out between June 9 and June 30 for the first group transitioning to senior school.
The new dates mean schools will be handling the selection exercise while at the same time preparing candidates for the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), a situation that some stakeholders say could affect the quality of guidance offered to learners.
"To ensure a smooth process, the ministry will implement this important exercise following strict timelines," Basic Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa said in a circular to regional and county directors of education.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Deputy Secretary-General Hesbon Otieno said the ministry should have completed the exercise earlier to allow schools enough time to analyse learner assessment reports and guide them appropriately.
"I think this delay is more retrogressive than progressive because schools will now have very little time to place students according to the assessment reports they have received and determine their strengths," he said.
Otieno said the latest development risks creating doubt among parents about the country's education reforms.
"We are trying to build confidence in Competency-Based Education. But with these kinds of hiccups, parents will still feel that we were not ready for the system," he said.
Education Stakeholders Association of Kenya National Secretary Ndung'u Wangenye also raised concern over the limited period available for learners and parents to discuss pathway choices before the exercise closes.
"The disadvantage for students is that if they select the wrong pathway, there will be no time for revision by the learners, parents or teachers, and that is a disaster," he said.
He noted that teachers who normally support learners through career guidance would already be occupied with preparations for KJSEA.
"September is also the examination period. There will be no career guidance teachers available to guide them. Right now, teachers are preparing students for the KJSEA," he said.
Even as teachers and some education stakeholders questioned the timing, the National Parents Association (NPA) defended the ministry's decision, saying there was no reason to doubt the schedule that had been announced.
NPA chairperson Silas Obuhasa urged parents, teachers and learners to cooperate with the ministry, saying the pathway selection process would take only a short period and would not disrupt preparations for KJSEA.
"The issue of pathway selection requires only a specific period. Taking one week to complete it will have no negative effect on learners preparing for the KJSEA," he said.
Obuhasa added that parents already play an active role alongside teachers in helping learners make pathway choices, saying the association was ready to work with the ministry and other education stakeholders to ensure parents receive the necessary information through school engagement forums.