KNEC Defends Move to Scrap Compulsory Maths in Senior School

KNEC Defends Move to Scrap Compulsory Maths in Senior School.

Education stakeholders have emphasized that Mathematics will remain compulsory only in primary and junior secondary school levels. Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) Chairperson Julius Nyabundi stated that foundational knowledge in arithmetic, gained during these levels, sufficiently prepares learners for life and higher education.

Nyabundi explained that the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) was designed to build numeracy up to Grade 9, eliminating the need for the subject to be mandatory in senior school. He proposed that learners in senior secondary school should focus on areas aligned with their strengths, such as humanities or vocational subjects, to enhance academic outcomes and foster better engagement.

The performance in Mathematics among senior secondary learners has been consistently underwhelming, with data showing a steep drop from primary school results. According to KNEC Deputy Director for Quality Assurance and Archives, Andrew Otieno, national examination analyses reveal a sharp decline in Mathematics performance between KCPE and KCSE.

For instance, 2022 KCPE results showed over 80 per cent of candidates scored between Grade A and D+ in Mathematics. However, by the time learners reached KCSE, only 17.46 per cent remained within that performance bracket. These figures place Kenya behind Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia in secondary Mathematics outcomes.

Otieno attributed this decline not to a difficult curriculum but to a rigid grading and assessment structure. He pointed out that the current system discourages learners, particularly those not pursuing STEM pathways, and emphasized that Mathematics should only be a core subject for students whose future courses demand it.

Optional Mathematics in Senior School

The Ministry of Education’s move to make Mathematics optional in senior secondary school has sparked public debate. Under the revised structure, core compulsory subjects will include English, Kiswahili or Kenya Sign Language, Physical Education, and Community Service Learning.

Despite the backlash, projections indicate that around 60 per cent of senior school students will still opt for Mathematics, especially those pursuing the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) track. However, Otieno warned that enforcing compulsory Mathematics could hinder students more inclined to the arts.

KNEC maintained that revising subject requirements might help address the “dismal pass rate below 30 per cent” recorded in KCSE Mathematics. Otieno also noted that similar practices are observed in other regional examination systems.

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The introduction of Community Service Learning and Physical Education as mandatory subjects has been defended by curriculum developers. Eunice Gachoka of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development highlighted research supporting Physical Education’s role in psychomotor coordination, cognitive development, and overall learner wellness.

She added that Community Service Learning was essential in cultivating responsible, patriotic citizens, particularly at a time when national values appear to be waning. Speakers at the KNEC symposium echoed the importance of character-building components in education to counter declining social values in the country.

KNEC Defends Move to Scrap Compulsory Maths in Senior School.

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