The Grade 10 teaching and learning program officially began on Monday, January 22, 2026, nearly two weeks after admissions commenced. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba flagged off part of the 11.8 million textbooks for Grade 10 from 21 publishers in Nairobi, marking a key milestone in the new academic year.

In a decisive directive, the government ordered all school principals to admit Grade 10 learners immediately, ensuring that no student would be denied access due to unpaid school fees, lack of uniforms, or other admission requirements. Speaking in Tharaka Nithi, Meru County, President William Ruto emphasized the government’s investment in education, stating: “I am directing that no child should remain at home because they do not have school fees. Every child must go to school because we have spent billions to educate our children.” He also instructed chiefs and their assistants to actively track down any Grade 10 learners who were still at home.

CS Ogamba, during the launch of a book distribution exercise at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), directed school heads to admit students without new Grade 10 uniforms, allowing them to continue using their Junior Secondary School (JSS) uniforms while new ones are provided.

Challenges and Progress in Student Enrollment

Despite these directives, the rollout faced early challenges. Thousands of Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) graduates from vulnerable households were initially stranded at home due to financial constraints or missing uniforms, even a week after senior secondary admissions opened. This prompted the Ministry of Education to extend the admission window, as data revealed that fewer than half of the 1.1 million learners had reported.

By Wednesday, January 24, enrollment had improved significantly, with over 930,000 students reporting to senior secondary schools, representing 90 percent of the 1.13 million learners who sat the 2025 KJSEA. CS Ogamba confirmed that government teams are tracking the remaining learners, noting challenges ranging from missing uniforms or books to transfer issues and other social obstacles.

Criticism of the Competency-Based Education Program

The Competency-Based Education (CBE) program for Grade 10 has faced sharp criticism. United Green Movement (UGM)Presidential Aspirant David Maraga, speaking in Kisumu during a young aspirants training on January 22, 2026, attributed the confusion surrounding the rollout to the government’s unpreparedness. Maraga described the program as being insufficiently planned, highlighting concerns about implementation, resources, and coordination at the school level.