NAIROBI, Kenya — Just when students thought they could ditch Math for good, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos has pulled a plot twist: Mathematics is back — and it’s not going anywhere.
Speaking during the National Conversation on the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) on Thursday, Migos confirmed that all senior school learners, regardless of their academic pathway, will now be required to study mathematics.
This decision reverses a prior government stance that had downgraded Math from core to optional under the CBC framework.
According to Migos, the change reflects overwhelming feedback from education stakeholders who, after multiple consultative forums, agreed that excluding Math entirely would be a mistake.
Government U-turn. Math will now be compulsory in senior school nation.africa/kenya/news/edu…
One Curriculum, Three Pathways — and Math for All
The CBC’s structure offers learners three specialization tracks: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), arts and sports, and social sciences.
Under the new plan, STEM students will take on “pure” or advanced mathematics, while the other two groups will study a simplified version tailored to their disciplines.
“Some form of mathematics will be made compulsory for the two pathways that are not the STEM pathways,” Migos said, noting that the shift followed deliberations with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD). “We can’t afford to raise a generation that lacks mathematical literacy — even in fields that aren’t science-heavy.”
A U-Turn That’s Raising Eyebrows — and Applause
This pivot comes just months after the Ministry of Education caused a stir by announcing that Math would no longer be a must-have for senior secondary learners — a move seen as a radical departure from the rigid 8-4-4 system it replaces.
The CBC model, designed to foster student interests and competencies, mandates only four core subjects: English or Kenya Sign Language, Kiswahili, Physical Education, and Community Service Learning. Students then pick three more subjects from a list of 38 options.
But the earlier decision to exclude Math sparked sharp criticism, especially from the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), whose acting Secretary General Moses Nthurima didn’t mince words.
“KUPPET rejects the proposal to make Mathematics optional. It’s foundational — not just for STEM, but for all fields,” he said. “Math is essential to building a workforce ready for the 21st century. Its applications stretch from humanities to sports.”
EDUCATION CS Ogamba says Maths will be compulsory for all senior school students, ending confusion that marred the subject under new CBC curriculum.
Why This Matters (Even If You Hate Math)
Let’s be honest: Math has never won any popularity contests. But its importance in problem-solving, logical reasoning, and critical thinking is undisputed — especially in a tech-driven world.
By making Math mandatory (albeit in different doses), the Ministry is aiming to strike a balance between flexibility and functionality.
The new CBC twist ensures that even if students aren’t crunching calculus, they’ll at least graduate with enough numerical know-how to navigate the modern world — whether that’s managing personal finances, interpreting data, or, yes, calculating sports stats.
With Mathematics officially back on the curriculum — for everyone — Kenya’s education system is taking a firm stance on foundational skills.
The CBC may be competency-based, but it’s clear the Ministry believes competence without numeracy is simply not an option.
