NAIROBI, Kenya — The Ministry of Education has announced a major policy change requiring all senior secondary schools to make mathematics a compulsory subject, reversing earlier plans that allowed students to skip it. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba made the announcement during the National Conversation on Competency-Based Education held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on April 24, 2025. The move comes as part of the ongoing reforms under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), aimed at equipping learners with practical skills for the modern workforce.
CS Ogamba explained that the policy shift also involves the removal of regional categorization of schools, ensuring that all national schools will offer the three pathways in senior school education: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Social Sciences, and Arts. Data from the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) revealed that about 15 percent of students transitioning to secondary school struggle with higher-level mathematical concepts. While previous reforms aimed to make math optional due to poor performance, the government emphasized the importance of numeracy as a foundation for STEM education and national development.
The announcement has sparked mixed reactions from educators and parents. Some teachers warned that forcing all learners into compulsory mathematics might increase stress for students who prefer humanities or social sciences, while experts say early alignment with STEM is crucial for the country’s technological and economic growth. Parents and school administrators are calling for additional teacher training and resource provision to ensure that students can adapt to the changes without compromising learning outcomes. CS Ogamba assured stakeholders that the government would continue supporting schools with qualified teachers, learning materials, and infrastructure to facilitate the transition under the revised CBC framework.