Education CS Julius Ogamba Reinstates Mathematics as a Mandatory Subject
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has ordered that some type of mathematics be reinstated as a mandatory subject in senior secondary schools.
While speaking at the National Conversation on the Competency-Based Curriculum on Thursday, Ogamba disclosed that the ministry has acknowledged the concerns of the stakeholders and concluded that some type of mathematics should be mandatory across all pathways.
“The majority of the stakeholders during the CBC dialogue believed that mathematics should be mandatory in senior school. We have acknowledged your concerns, consulted with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), and arrived at a decision that some type of mathematics be made compulsory for the other two pathways that are not STEM,” Ogamba stated.
According to the CS, with this new directive, students who select the STEM pathway will study pure maths, whereas the other two pathways will feature a more basic version of mathematics.
Ruto KNEC Exams President William Ruto distributing examination papers during a previous round of the national exams. PCS “We will have the STEM pathways with 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 clarified.
In contrast to the 8-4-4 curriculum, where mathematics was a compulsory subject, the ministry had permitted students in senior school to drop the subject according to the pathways they selected.
The ministry categorized the pathways into three: Arts and Sports Science, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), allowing students who chose the first two pathways to potentially forgo maths.
However, Ogamba has reversed this decision and mandated that these two pathways will include some form of mathematics.
His decision to reverse the ruling follows developments that sparked intense debates among Kenyans and relevant stakeholders who argued that it was an unwise decision and posed challenges that could affect Kenya’s workforce and economic sustainability.
The CS assured Kenyans and the stakeholders that their input in the education system is valued, and the Ministry takes their opinions seriously as part of the effort to refine the CBC curriculum that has faced criticism.
“It is crucial that we have taken into account the views of the Kenyans, and it is an important contribution that has come from the stakeholders to emphasize that stakeholder conversation is vital,” Ogamba remarked.
Ogamba has urged the stakeholders and the general public to support this new initiative.
Currently, the CS and Principal Secretary Julius Bitok are actively working on the CBC transition in Kenya. Their emphasis is on ensuring quality education and addressing challenges such as teacher readiness, school infrastructure, and public concerns regarding CBC implementation.
