The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has issued new directives requiring schools to strictly follow prescribed subject selection guidelines during the ongoing registration of Grade 10 learners.
In a circular dated July 27, the examinations council instructed schools to register learners only after confirming their selected career pathways and subject combinations, emphasizing that all entries must align with the approved Senior School curriculum.
According to KNEC, the accuracy of the registration process is critical because the information submitted will determine how learners are placed, taught and assessed throughout senior school.
“Subject choices registered will form the basis for learner placement, instruction, and subsequent assessment processes; therefore, schools must ensure accuracy and compliance with the prescribed guidelines,” the KNEC circular states.
The council directed schools to verify that every learner’s chosen subjects correspond with the pathways available in their respective institutions before completing registration.
Among the key guidelines is a restriction on science subject combinations. KNEC said learners who opt for General Science will not be permitted to register for any of the three Pure Science subjects—Biology, Chemistry or Physics.
“A learner who registers for General Science shall not be eligible to register for either Biology, Physics or Chemistry,” the council said.
The directive effectively requires learners to choose either the General Science option or the Pure Sciences track, but not both.
KNEC also outlined mathematics requirements based on the learner’s chosen pathway.
Students pursuing two or three Pure Science subjects—Biology, Physics and Chemistry—will be required to register for Core Mathematics.
However, learners enrolled in Applied Sciences or Technical and Engineering courses under the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pathway may choose between Core Mathematics and Essential Mathematics.
The same flexibility applies to learners pursuing the Social Sciences, Arts and Sports pathways, who may register for either Core Mathematics or Essential Mathematics.
The council further limited learners to a single religious education subject during registration. Under the guidelines, candidates may only register for one of Christian Religious Education (CRE), Islamic Religious Education (IRE) or Hindu Religious Education (HRE).
KNEC also clarified the eligibility requirements for Kenya Sign Language (KSL). The subject will be reserved exclusively for learners who are deaf.
Learners registered for KSL will not be allowed to take Kiswahili or Fasihi ya Kiswahili. Conversely, hearing learners will not be eligible to register for KSL but may instead take Sign Language Skills.
“Hearing learners cannot take KSL but can take Sign Language Skills,” the circular states.
The examinations council urged schools to carefully verify all subject selections before finalizing the registration process, noting that the decisions made at this stage will guide teaching, learning and assessment throughout learners’ senior school education.
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