The Ministry of Education has reversed the plan to make Mathematics an optional subject for senior school learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Speaking during the National Conversation on the Competency-Based Curriculum on Thursday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the subject will remain compulsory in all three pathways: STEM, Arts and Sports Science, and Social Sciences.
“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 resolved that some form of mathematics be made compulsory for the two pathways that are not STEM,” Ogamba said during his address.
The CS explained that learners under the STEM pathway will take pure mathematics while those in science pathways will take a simpler version of Mathematics aligned with their focus areas.
”We will have the STEM pathways having pure maths and the other two pathways having a form of maths so that we have maths in all three pathways in senior school,” the CS explained.
The government’s earlier plan to remove Mathematics as a compulsory subject under the CBC had received backlash from members of the public who argue that it could impact Kenya’s workforce and economic sustainability.
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The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) argued that without a solid grounding in Maths, students will struggle to develop the analytical skills necessary for success in engineering and other technical professions.
IEK added that Mathematics plays a critical role in areas such as business, economics, and social sciences, and without it, students could struggle in higher education and even when seeking employment.
Responding to the matter, CS Ogamba argued that the subject would remain compulsory for students entering the STEM pathway, and optional for those pursuing Arts or Social Sciences. The STEM pathway contains subjects in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Ogamba further argued that the mathematics taught from Grade 4 to Grade 9 ensures that all learners acquire foundational “numeracy literacy” and no need to make it compulsory for learners pursuing careers that do not require the subject.
“A student has gotten the mathematics to be able to do other things in life that do not require advanced mathematical proficiency unless the career they want to choose requires maths,” he said.
“By Grade 9, a student’s competencies and career interests should be clear. If mathematics is not relevant to their chosen path, there is no need to make it mandatory,” he added.
The CS noted that most students don’t pursue careers requiring Mathematics yet their overall mean grade is negatively affected by the subject. For instance, in the previous KCSE, 72 percent of students scored a D or below in Mathematics.
