Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has reinstated mathematics as a mandatory subject for all secondary school students, reversing a previous decision to make it optional.
The announcement, made on April 24, follows a heated public debate triggered by a proposal to allow senior school students under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to opt out of mathematics in favour of other subjects.
The CBC, introduced in 2017 to replace Kenya’s exam-centric 8-4-4 system, had allowed students to choose subjects aligned with their career pathways—science and technology, social sciences, or arts and sports.
Mathematics, once a core requirement, became optional for those pursuing non-STEM tracks, sparking concerns among educators and employers who argued it weakened critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
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“The majority of stakeholders during the CBC dialogue were of the view that mathematics should be compulsory in senior school. We have listened to your concerns, consulted with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), and reached a resolution that some form of mathematics be made compulsory for the other two pathways that are not STEM,” CS Ogamba said in his speech at the National Conversation on the Competency-Based Curriculum on Thursday.
Now, under the new directive, all students undertaking the three-year senior school education must study mathematics, alongside English and community service learning, regardless of their chosen academic pathways.
“We will have the STEM pathways studying pure maths, and the other two pathways taking a form of maths, so that mathematics is present in all three pathways in senior school,” the CS explained.
This policy, which takes immediate effect, literally applies to all CBC learners below the secondary level, with further implementation details to be outlined in upcoming guidelines from the Ministry.
While the decision has been welcomed by many, some parents and students have expressed concern over increased academic pressure, particularly for those who struggle with the subject.
Previously, the option to exclude mathematics had been viewed as a way to streamline the curriculum for non-STEM students by catering to diverse talents and learning styles, encouraging broader skill development than 8-4-4.
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