Starehe Boys & Girls Centres’ Grade 10 Admissions in 2026 {Full Details}
The management of Starehe Boys’ and Starehe Girls’ Centres has issued latest guidelines on the 2026 Grade 10 Admissions. This follows concerns from parents after some candidates received notifications suggesting they had already been selected for admission.
In a joint statement dated December 21, 2025, the directors of the two centres emphasized that admission for the 2026 Grade 10 class is still ongoing and that selection is not automatic.
They said that admission to Starehe is based on multiple criteria, including financial need, school preference, exam performance, and regional representation. Need remains the primary consideration, assessed through the Yellow Form for boys and the Blue Form for girls.
“Our charters require that 70 percent of admitted students come from needy backgrounds, with sponsorship determined by the assessed degree of need,” the directors stated.
Other factors influencing selection to Starehe Centres include whether candidates chose Starehe as their preferred school, their KJSEA exam performance, and ensuring equitable representation from all counties.
The centres confirmed that they are working closely with the Ministry of Education to obtain the necessary data to complete the selection process.
“The Ministry has assured us that this data will be provided expeditiously to facilitate the process,” the statement read, noting that the ministry has supported the schools for decades in prioritizing need in admissions.
2026 Grade 10 Placement Review
Elsewhere, the Ministry of Education announced a seven-day review window starting Tuesday, December 23, to address concerns over the placement of Grade 9 learners into senior schools.
The move follows complaints from parents and students over the automated placement process under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework.
“We recognize the concern caused as we work to finalise the process and appeal for patience. Once the data is received and selections are completed, successful candidates will be contacted with further guidance,” they said.
PS for Education Julius Bitok attributed the challenges to high competition for limited slots in popular schools, misaligned communication between parents, learners, and school heads, and differences between selected pathways and assessment outcomes.
Here is the full statement from Starehe Centres.
To Parents, Guardians and Grade 10 2026 Applicants
The Starehe Boys’ and Girls’ Centres have received inquiries from parents and guardians of KJSEA candidates who have received information that they have been selected to join these schools.
Admission to both schools is determined by each Centre based on:
Need, assessed from information in the Yellow Form for the Boys’ Centre, and the Blue Form for the Girls’ Centre that each candidate must complete.
1. Need is the primary basis for admission. Our charters require that 70% of the students admitted to the Starehe Schools be from needy backgrounds, admitted on sponsorship determined by their assessed degree of need.
2. Selection of Starehe as their preferred school in the appropriate category;
3. KJSEA Examination Performance vis-a-vis the selected pathway; and,
4. Regional balance to ensure the qualifying candidates admitted represent all counties of Kenya
The two Centres are working with the Ministry of Education to obtain the requisite data for candidates that applied to join both Starehe Schools, to enable us complete the selection process in a manner consistent with our mandate.
The Ministry has assured us that this data will be provided expeditiously to facilitate the process.
We thank the Ministry for their support over many decades in safeguarding the centrality of need in the selection process for the Starehe Centres, providing early access to examination results for the candidates who select the Starehe Centres to give us time for our elaborate selection processes.
We recognize the anxiety caused as we work to resolve the matter, and appeal for patience.
Once the process is completed in the coming days, the Centres will contact those that have been admitted to provide further guidance.
With our highest regards
FREDRICK 0.G. OKONO: DIRECTOR, STAREHE BOYS’ CENTRE
SR JANE SOITA: DIRECTOR STAREHE GIRLS’ CENTRE
