As the Ministry of Education continues to outline the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) for transition to Grade 10, one of the most radical changes introduced is the removal of Mathematics as a compulsory subject for students.
Contrary to the 8-4-4 curriculum, where secondary school students were required to take Mathematics alongside English, Kiswahili, and at least two sciences (Physics, Chemistry, or Biology), students in senior school now have the option to skip Mathematics.
In senior school, all learners must take the following four core subjects, regardless of their preferred pathways: English, Kiswahili/Kenya Sign Language, Community Service Learning, and Physical Education.
Students select three optional subjects from those available in their chosen pathways and tracks. The ministry has categorised the pathways into three: Arts and Sports Science, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
The first pathway, Arts and Sports Science, comprises of Fine Arts, Music and Dance, Theatre and Film, Physical Education, Sports, and Recreation.
The second pathway, Social Sciences, includes Business Studies, History and Citizenship, Geography, Christian Religious Education (CRE), Islamic Religious Education (IRE), Hindu Religious Education (HRE), Community Service Learning (CSL), and Languages and Literature subjects.
The third pathway, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), encompasses Pure Sciences—Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and General Science—as well as Applied Sciences, which include Agriculture, Computer Science, and Home Science, along with Technical Studies.
The Ministry has directed that up to 60 per cent of the current Grade Nine learners should pursue STEM pathways in senior secondary school starting January 2026.
According to Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, students will begin selecting their preferred subjects from the second term, allowing them a window period in the first term to assess their options and discuss them with their parents before making a decision.
“We are giving them time to go home so that parents and learners can consult on their interests and what they wish to pursue. The selection process will begin immediately when they return to school,” Kipsang told The Standard.
Additionally, the Ministry of Education has proposed limiting the number of learners from a single junior secondary school joining the same senior school to a maximum of five.
The change aims to promote diversity in placement, but some stakeholders argue that it might be over-ambitious, especially for day schools, which primarily enroll students from their local communities.
