Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba now says the government will reinstate some form of mathematics in the Senior Secondary Schools across all pathways.
The move follows widespread uproar from professionals and other Kenyans who opposed an initial proposal to scrap Mathematics as a compulsory subject in senior schools.
Ogamba revealed that the Ministry of Education had listened to concerns raised by stakeholders during the public participation and reached the decision to mandate mathematics in all three senior school pathways.
"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 stated.
The CS spoke on Thursday during the National Conversation on the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Under the revised directive, students pursuing the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) pathway will continue to study pure mathematics.
Meanwhile, learners in the Arts and Sports Science and Social Sciences pathways will take a simplified version of the subject.
'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.
Under the CBC system, unlike the previous 8-4-4 curriculum, where mathematics was mandatory, students were allowed to drop the subject
depending on their chosen pathway.
Only students taking Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) were required to learn mathematics. Students in the other two pathways were previously allowed to forgo mathematics.
This approach had sparked widespread debate among education stakeholders and the public.
However, Ogamba has now reversed that policy, emphasising that mathematical literacy remains essential across all fields.
His decision follows intense public discourse and concerns over the long-term implications of excluding mathematics from certain learning tracks, particularly regarding Kenya’s workforce readiness and economic resilience.
The CS reassured Kenyans that their feedback is instrumental in shaping the country’s education system.
“Your voices matter. As a Ministry, we take your concerns seriously as we work to refine and strengthen the CBC, which, despite its good intentions, has faced significant criticism,” Ogamba affirmed.
The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) had protested
against the government’s initial decision to remove Mathematics as a compulsory
subject under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
In a statement on Monday, March 17, IEK stated that the controversial decision to make Mathematics optional for senior secondary schools posed challenges that could impact Kenya’s workforce and economic sustainability.
According to the engineering body, without a solid grounding in Maths, students will struggle to develop the analytical skills necessary for success in engineering and other technical professions.
“Mathematics, in particular, is the language of engineering and technology, underpinning design, optimisation, problem-solving, and data analysis in fields ranging from civil and electrical engineering to artificial intelligence and renewable energy,” the Institution of Engineers stated.
