Kenya's CBC Drops Mathematics as Compulsory Subject

As of January 2026, Kenya's education system will undergo a significant transformation with the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) for Grade 10.

The move indicates the removal of Mathematics as a compulsory subject. This marks a departure from the previous 8-4-4 system, which mandated Mathematics alongside English, Kiswahili, and at least two sciences, offering senior school students the option to pursue other academic interests.

Under the new CBC framework, all senior school learners will be required to take four core subjects: English, Kiswahili/Kenya Sign Language, Community Service Learning, and Physical Education. In addition to these, students will choose three optional subjects from pathways aligned with their interests. The Ministry of Education has organized these pathways into Arts and Sports Science, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

The Arts and Sports Science pathway includes subjects such as Fine Arts, Music and Dance, Theatre and Film, Physical Education, Sports, and Recreation. The Social Sciences pathway encompasses Business Studies, History and Citizenship, Geography, Christian Religious Education (CRE), Islamic Religious Education (IRE), Hindu Religious Education (HRE), Community Service Learning (CSL), and various Languages and Literature subjects.

The STEM pathway covers Pure Sciences—Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and General Science—as well as Applied Sciences like Agriculture, Computer Science, Home Science, and Technical Studies. In a move to strengthen the STEM fields, the Ministry of Education has mandated that up to 60 percent of current Grade Nine learners should pursue STEM pathways in senior secondary school.

Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang has indicated that students will begin selecting their preferred subjects during the second term, with the first term serving as a window for assessing options and consulting with parents.

"We are giving them time to go home so that parents and learners can consult on their interests and what they wish to pursue. The selection process will begin immediately when they return to school," Kipsang says.

The Ministry has also proposed capping the number of learners from a single junior secondary school joining the same senior school to a maximum of five. This measure is intended to promote diversity in student placement, although some stakeholders have voiced concerns that this could pose challenges for day schools that primarily serve students from their immediate localities.

The transition to the CBC, and particularly the removal of compulsory Mathematics, represents a major evolution in Kenya's educational approach. These changes aim to enhance student flexibility and tailor education to individual interests and career goals.