Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has confirmed that Mathematics will continue to be a mandatory subject in both primary and secondary schools.
Ogamba’s announcement follows wide-ranging consultations with education stakeholders, during which a proposal to make Mathematics optional under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) was ultimately shelved.
However, he noted that students pursuing arts-related pathways will study a simplified version of the subject.
“During the CBC dialogue forums, the majority of stakeholders expressed strong support for Mathematics remaining compulsory at the senior school level,” said Ogamba. “After listening to these concerns and consulting with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), we have resolved that a form of Mathematics will be compulsory across all three senior school pathways, with adjusted content for non-STEM tracks.”
The clarification comes amid public backlash following an earlier announcement that Mathematics would no longer be compulsory for senior secondary learners under the CBC, a major departure from the previous 8-4-4 system.
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) had been among the strongest critics of the proposal, warning that downgrading Mathematics could negatively impact the country’s educational standards and hinder workforce development.
Under the CBC framework, senior secondary students were initially set to take only four compulsory subjects: English or Kenya Sign Language, Kiswahili, Physical Education, and Community Service Learning, with an additional three subjects selected from a pool of 38 options.
With this revision, Mathematics will remain a foundational pillar of Kenya’s education system, albeit with tailored approaches to suit different academic pathways.