New Guidelines for Senior Boarding Schools
Education Updated: 05 November 2025 12:05 EAT
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The Ministry of Education has announced a major restructuring of the fee and operational framework for public boarding senior secondary schools, setting a standard annual fee of KSh. 53,000 for each learner.
These new guidelines, set to take effect from January 2026, scrap the previous categorization of secondary schools, such as National, Extra-County, and County schools, that was based on infrastructure and geographic location.
Beyond fees, the guidelines introduce fundamental changes to the learning, teaching, and administrative landscape.
For learning, Grade 10 students will now take seven subjects, including core areas like English, Kiswahili, Community Service Learning, and P.E., with three optional subjects determined by their chosen career pathway (STEM, Arts and Sports Science, or Social Sciences).
The new teaching layout requires learners to have eight lessons per day, each lasting 40 minutes, totaling 40 per week. Core subjects will be taught as single lessons only, while other subjects will include one double lesson per week.
From an administrative perspective, the guidelines prioritize student welfare and financial accountability. For safety, boarding schools are strictly instructed never to send unaccompanied learners away from school after 9 AM and must ensure all learners arrive by 5 PM. Furthermore, school administrations are now required to establish audit committees to work with internal auditors, ensuring ongoing financial review and compliance with financial policies.
These comprehensive changes are part of broader educational reforms aimed at creating a more uniform and equitable learning environment for all students in the senior secondary level.
Tags: Ministry Of Education Julius Bitok Julius Ogamba SENIOR SCHOOLS Editor's Pick
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