New CBC junior classroom at Umoja Secondary, Limuru, Kiambu County.

The government has announced that learners transitioning from grade six to junior high in public schools will not be required to pay fees.

According to Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, the government will be allocating Sh15,000 to each learner as capitation for free junior secondary education.

CS  Ezekiel Machogu, who was speaking on  Monday during the release of Form One placement results at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), further said that President William Ruto has already directed the National Treasury to set aside funds to facilitate the students’ transition in junior secondary.

“In total, the government will spend Sh6 billion for the learners in junior secondary schools this calendar year,” said Mr Machogu.

Free Secondary Education

Since the introduction of free secondary education, the government provides Sh22,244 annually per learner as a capitation to facilitate free secondary education.

The CS also announced that the first cohort of learners expected to join junior high under the new Competency Based Curriculum (CBC)will report to respective schools on January 30th, a week after schools resume for the first term in the 2023 academic year.

Under the CBC system, Junior Secondary is part of middle school. Learners in middle school transit from upper primary to junior secondary after a national examination. Junior secondary education serves as a bridge between primary and secondary school for students aged 12 to 14 years.

 A total of 1,253,577 learners sat for the 2022 Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) in 32,555 centers across the country.

More teachers

The Teachers Service Commission is also recruiting 30,000 new teachers, the majority of whom will be attending to learners at the Junior Secondary School level.