Government Assures Timely Delivery of Grade 9 Textbooks
Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok
The Ministry of Education has assured parents and schools that the delivery of Grade 9 textbooks is on track.
Principal Secretary for the State Department for Basic Education, Prof. Julius Bitok, gave the update on Friday, January 9, 2026, during the release of the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results.
Prof. Bitok said preparations for the distribution of Grade 9 textbooks are progressing well and the ministry remains committed to ensuring adequate learning materials for all learners.
“Allow me to confirm that arrangements for the delivery of Grade 9 textbooks are on course, and the ministry is committed to achieving the expected learner-to-textbook ratio for learners transitioning to Grade 9,” Bitok said.
He also revealed that the ministry is conducting a second review of Grade 10 placements following concerns raised by parents and guardians.
To improve efficiency and mobilise resources, Prof. Bitok said the government will continue working with private sector partners through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), including organisations such as the Safaricom M-Pesa Foundation.
At the same event, Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) Chief Executive Officer Dr David Njengere explained how learners in Senior School will be assessed under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Dr Njengere said KNEC will issue a circular by January 15, 2026, to guide schools on the assessment of learners joining Grade 10 as they begin the final stage of basic education in Senior School.
He noted that KNEC has developed a Competency-Based Assessment Framework (CBAF) for Senior School, which is available on the KNEC website. The framework outlines the purpose of assessments, the tools to be used and how results will be reported.
To support schools, KNEC has set up 235 Senior School hubs across all 47 counties. Each county has five hubs selected from existing secondary schools, representing public, private, rural, urban and special schools. The hubs will help schools implement competency-based assessments and strengthen coordination with KNEC.
Dr Njengere also said KNEC, through its Educational Assessment Resource Centre (EARC), has launched a free online self-paced training portal for Senior School teachers. The platform is designed to equip teachers with the skills needed for competency-based assessment.
From January 26, 2026, KNEC will open an online portal for heads of Senior Schools to confirm details of Grade 10 learners, including the learning pathways chosen by students, such as Arts and Sports Science.
KNEC will then roll out the 2026 Grade 10 School-Based Assessments (SBAs), which will include projects, practical work and written tests. Learners in the Arts and Sports Science pathway will begin their Fine Arts coursework in January 2026.
Other projects and practical assessments will take place between May and July 2026, while written tests will be administered in October 2026.
Dr Njengere said assessment scores from Grades 10, 11 and 12 will be combined and used to issue learners with the Kenya Certificate of Basic Education (KCBE) at the end of Senior School.
He urged teachers, parents and learners to ensure all School-Based Assessments are completed and uploaded on the KNEC system on time to avoid disadvantaging learners. This also applies to assessments at the Primary and Junior School levels.
KNEC also plans to pilot a Senior School summative assessment in 2027, when the current Grade 10 learners move to Grade 11.
Meanwhile, Dr Njengere announced that the registration portal for the 2026 KPSEA, KJSEA and KCSE examinations will be opened in February 2026. He said preparations for the next examination cycle are already underway.
He asked school heads to use January to identify eligible candidates and gather the required registration documents. KNEC will also introduce an SMS service to allow parents and guardians to confirm their learners’ registration status.