Kenya Just Made Maths Optional. Here’s Why Experts Are Worried

Kenya Just Made Maths Optional. Here’s Why Experts Are Worried.

In March 2025, Kenya’s education ministry announced a policy change making mathematics optional in senior secondary school, which starts in grade 10. Typically, students in this grade are around 15 years old. According to the education minister, the mathematics covered between grade 4 and grade 9 provides adequate foundational numeracy literacy.

This marks a departure from the now-defunct 8-4-4 system, where Mathematics, Kiswahili, and English were mandatory throughout primary and secondary education. Under the previous system, secondary students were also required to take at least one science subject—either Physics or Biology—alongside the compulsory Chemistry course to ensure a well-rounded academic foundation.

This change, set to take effect in January 2026, is part of a transition to the competency-based curriculum. The goal is not to remove mathematics entirely but to make it a choice. However, due to historically poor performance in this subject, the expectation is that few students will opt for it.

In many African countries, including Mauritius, Nigeria, and South Africa, mathematics remains a compulsory subject for the first 12 years of schooling. Some countries, like South Africa, offer students the option of either core mathematics or mathematical literacy from grade 10 onwards.

Transition from the 8-4-4 System

Previously, Kenya’s education system, known as 8-4-4, required students to complete eight years of primary school, followed by four years each in high school and university. Under this system, core mathematics, known as Alternative A, was mandatory until the second year of high school (form 2), when most students were around 16 years old. In the final two years, students had the choice to switch to Alternative B, a simpler version introduced in 2009. Alternative B closely resembles South Africa’s mathematical literacy curriculum.

Debate Over the Decision

Criticism of CBC’s approach is not new, but the decision to make mathematics optional in senior secondary school is a fundamental misstep. Mathematics is more than a subject; it cultivates critical thinking, logical reasoning, analytical skills, and problem-solving abilities—competencies that all students should possess, regardless of their career paths.

Beyond cognitive development, mathematics is foundational for higher education and career progression in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, as well as economics, finance, healthcare, and environmental studies.

Mathematical literacy enhances financial decision-making, supports advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics, and strengthens the ability to analyze data-driven policies. Making mathematics optional may deprive students of these essential skills, restricting their future academic and professional opportunities.

The policy change has sparked widespread debate, with both support and opposition. A researcher with over 20 years of experience in teaching and studying mathematics education believes making the subject optional is not beneficial. Their argument is that both individuals and society need mathematics, regardless of career paths.

Supporters of the change point out that under the old 8-4-4 system, mathematics was also optional in the final two years of high school. However, the competency-based curriculum, which emphasizes mastery of skills rather than exam scores, should have addressed the issue without making mathematics optional.

A more effective approach would be to investigate the root causes of poor mathematics performance and implement solutions. Studies identify key challenges, including inadequate resources, insufficient teacher training, lack of support for students with dyscalculia, and biased teaching methods.

Kenya’s Mathematics Challenge

In the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, graded from A (highest) to E (lowest), more than half of the 881,416 candidates scored in the lowest two grades, D and E. The situation improved only slightly in 2023. By comparison, Mauritius saw its high school mathematics pass rate rise from 81.4% to 91.8% between 2019 and 2022.

Several factors contribute to Kenya’s poor mathematics performance:

Resource Allocation

Well-funded national schools enroll only a small fraction of students, leaving over 70% in under-resourced day schools. Access to mathematics education relies on resources such as qualified teachers and interactive learning materials. The government, with support from organizations like the Global Partnership for Education, aims to provide a 1:1 textbook-to-student ratio. However, delays in capitation grants to schools have hindered resource availability.

Teacher Preparation

Many teachers lack proper training to support foundational numeracy skills, which are essential for future academic success. Weak early-grade numeracy instruction affects students’ ability to grasp more advanced mathematics concepts later on.

Teacher Behavior and Bias

Classroom observations reveal that mathematics teachers tend to favor boys. Above-average learners are seated at the front near the chalkboard, while struggling students receive little encouragement. Additionally, negative societal attitudes reinforce the stereotype that mathematics is difficult and mainly for boys or academically gifted students.

Dyscalculia

Globally, 3%-7% of the population has dyscalculia, a learning disability that impairs numerical comprehension. In Kenya, 6.4% of primary and secondary school students are affected. This means that out of the 962,512 KCSE candidates in 2024, between 28,000 and 68,000 may struggle with dyscalculia. However, the education system does not equip teachers to diagnose or support these students effectively.

Alternative Solutions

Instead of making mathematics optional, the focus should be on addressing the underlying issues causing poor performance. Several policy recommendations could improve outcomes:

• Avoid over-reliance on mathematics performance when determining eligibility for academic and training programs, ensuring that students’ career paths are not unfairly limited.
• Offer a simpler alternative, such as mathematical literacy, in senior secondary school rather than eliminating mathematics as a required subject.
• Strengthen teacher training, ensuring educators have both content knowledge and the skills needed to teach numeracy effectively.
• Challenge negative stereotypes and shift societal attitudes to promote mathematics as an essential life skill.
• Support students with dyscalculia by implementing multisensory teaching methods, which engage multiple senses—sight, hearing, movement, and touch—to improve numerical understanding.

By addressing these challenges, Kenya can improve mathematics education outcomes without making the subject optional, ensuring all students develop essential numeracy skills.

Flaws in CBC’s Implementation

A core flaw in the CBC system is its assumption that students have access to adequate guidance to make well-informed academic decisions at an early age. This notion overlooks Kenya’s struggling educational infrastructure. Despite free primary education since 2003 and affordable secondary education, the government has made little effort to enhance learning quality by investing in school infrastructure. With a population growth rate of 1.99% and a projected birth rate of 5,883 infants per day by 2025, there has been no corresponding expansion in classrooms, laboratories, libraries, or the pupil-teacher ratio.

Moreover, the shortage of teachers remains a pressing issue. In December 2024, instead of offering permanent positions, the government provided junior secondary school teachers with internship contracts, signaling an unwillingness or inability to fully invest in education. Given these constraints, expecting schools to offer robust career counseling services is unrealistic. In many institutions, counseling is primarily used for discipline rather than academic and career guidance. Without proper direction, students may make hasty subject choices that limit their future prospects.

A Misguided Educational Strategy

Kenya’s approach to education reforms resembles the design of a German-engineered Mercedes-Benz—rigid and dependent on ideal conditions. However, the country lacks the resources for flawless execution. In contrast, the 8-4-4 curriculum was akin to a Toyota—adaptable and resilient in addressing challenges.

Under CBC, students specialize too early, dropping fundamental subjects like mathematics before they have the capacity to make informed career choices. Without proper support, many will only discover their true interests at tertiary level, when their earlier subject selections may have already closed crucial doors.

A More Balanced Alternative

Instead of eliminating mathematics as a mandatory subject, Kenya could take inspiration from Tanzania’s education system, where students specialize in their chosen fields while still taking essential subjects to maintain a broad academic foundation. Tanzania’s model includes:

• Communication Skills – Strengthening proficiency in English and Kiswahili.
• Basic Applied Mathematics – Required for students not specializing in mathematics-related fields but optional for those who do.
• General Studies – Covering a broad spectrum of topics including civics, science, and ethics.

This approach ensures students remain versatile and adaptable, ready to navigate shifts in career and academic paths. Kenya should adopt a similar strategy rather than allowing students to abandon fundamental subjects prematurely.

Read Also: Professor Julius Kibet Bitok Takes Over as Principal Secretary for Basic Education

A Call for Policy Reconsideration

Instead of dismantling the 8-4-4 system, Kenya should have refined it by addressing inefficiencies while retaining its strengths. If the government insists on implementing CBC, it must at least maintain core subjects to preserve the depth and breadth of basic education. Mathematics is too critical to be optional at the senior secondary level.

Ensuring students study mathematics throughout primary and secondary education will equip them with the skills necessary to succeed in an increasingly complex, data-driven world. The government must reconsider this policy before it creates an irreversible gap in Kenya’s educational system, potentially limiting opportunities for future generations.

Kenya Just Made Maths Optional. Here’s Why Experts Are Worried.

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