PHOTOS: Parents, learners flock to schools for Grade 10

It was a day of movement and anticipation across the country as parents flocked to school gates with children reporting for Grade 10 under the new curriculum.

From long queues to paperwork and last-minute shopping, the admissions exercise offered varied experiences but a shared sense of opportunity for learners transitioning into new pathways.

At Moi Girls’ High School in Nairobi, parents arrived as early as dawn on the second day, many carrying admission forms, uniforms, and packing lists.

For Mary Njeri, who travelled from Ruiru, the process was smooth with no major setbacks. Her only concern was sourcing the required school uniform.

“Local shops did not have the exact specifications, so I opted to pay for one supplied at the school,” she said.

Another parent from Nakuru recounted travelling to the capital on Monday, only to encounter long queues at the clearance desks.

“We had to wait for hours to verify documents, choose subjects, and complete payments,” she said, describing the process as tiring but worthwhile.

From Machakos, Joel Gichuki said the school requirements caught him by surprise.

His child had been placed on the STEM pathway, yet the list included sports kits he had not anticipated.

“I thought the focus would be purely science-based,” he noted, adding that parents are still learning how the new pathways operate.

The rollout of Grade 10 under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) has introduced new subject clusters and pathways, prompting schools to adjust admission procedures and inventories.

Despite the delays, parents expressed optimism that the reforms would offer their children broader academic and career options.