Learners in senior school will not be forced to pursue Mathematics and science subjects by Belio Kipsang
Learners in senior school will not be forced to pursue mathematics and science subjects, Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS) Belio Kipsang has clarified.
The PS said all senior schools will be required to offer at least two pathways, one of which will be the science, technology, engineering and mathematics pathway. Senior school under the competency-based curriculum (CBC) was rolled out.
Learners will transit to senior schools based on the career pathways of their choice, abilities and interests. Apart from STEM, the other two pathways are social sciences and arts and sports.
Dr Kipsang said the learners will take up career pathways of their choice from Grade 10.
“In Grade 10, it is not compulsory to do mathematics and sciences subjects. Because if you are not doing humanities, or sciences why would you be required to do mathematics?” asked the PS.
In an exclusive interview with Nation in Mombasa during the ongoing dialogues on education quality and learning outcomes the PS said senior schools will be caterogised according to the career pathways they will offer.
The government has organised the county-based dialogues to engage stakeholders in discussions about the progress of the competency-based education, its achievements and opportunities.
“I need to demystify this compulsory thing of mathematics. The only thing which is compulsory to all schools is that STEM pathways should be done by every school. But doing STEM pathway does not mean that children are forced to do STEM, it is only that it is available,” stressed the PS.
He explained that the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms recommended that 60 per cent of all the senior School learners should undertake STEM.
“That is why we need more schools to provide STEM as a pathway,” added Dr Kipsang.
The vice chancellor of the Technical University of Mombasa Prof Laila Abubakar who was also a member of the PWPER said every school will offer STEM as a pathway.
“But not all children from that school should do STEM. Some will do arts and sports, others will undertake humanities. But we shall require every school to give our children a chance to do sciences. Those who want to do science, the subjects should be available to them. It’s for them to choose,” explained Prof Abubakar.
Under the 8-4-4 system which is being phased out, mathematics is compulsory as well as English and Kiswahili accompanied by a choice of two sciences.
“That is why we are doing pathways. We are running away because our children were spread too thin. You get a child doing history, mathematics, chemistry … you know, you confuse the learner,” explained Dr Kipsang.
This comes as preparations for the first-ever end-of-junior school assessment under the CBC started with the registration of learners who will undertake the assessment at the end of the year.
The pioneer cohort of the CBC who are currently in Grade 9 will sit for their assessment in November.
The more than 1.2 million Grade 9 learners are expected to transit to senior school based on the career pathways of their career choice, abilities and interests.
The National Parents Association said the national dialogue is crucial to help parents understand CBE.
“This dialogue has come at an opportune time to help the parents with learners in Grade 9 who are not informed on career pathways get enlightened, they should go to these meetings where CBE is being demystified,” said NPA chairman Mr Silas Obuhatsa.
The dialogues are taking place in all counties from March 9 to March 15, 2025 focused on updating stakeholders on the status of CBE implementation, providing a platform for stakeholders’ participation in the validation of Senior School guidelines, appraising stakeholders on teacher recruitment and capacity building, and receiving feedback from stakeholders on the implementation of CBE.
