KNEC Justifies Decision to Eliminate Mandatory Mathematics in Senior School.

KNEC Justifies Decision to Eliminate Mandatory Mathematics in Senior School.

Education stakeholders have reiterated that Mathematics will continue to be mandatory solely at the primary and junior secondary school levels. Chairperson of the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC), Julius Nyabundi, stated that the foundational knowledge in arithmetic acquired during these levels adequately equips learners for life and further education.

Nyabundi clarified that the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) was developed to enhance numeracy up to Grade 9, thereby rendering the subject non-mandatory in senior school. He advocated that learners in senior secondary schools should concentrate on areas that match their strengths, such as humanities or vocational subjects, to improve academic performance and promote greater engagement.

Performance in Mathematics among senior secondary learners has consistently been subpar, with evidence indicating a significant decline from primary school results. According to Andrew Otieno, KNEC Deputy Director for Quality Assurance and Archives, national examination analyses disclose a notable drop in Mathematics performance between KCPE and KCSE.

For example, the 2022 KCPE results indicated that over 80 percent of candidates achieved scores ranging from Grade A to D+ in Mathematics. However, by the time these learners progressed to KCSE, only 17. 46 percent remained within that performance range. Such statistics position Kenya behind Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia regarding secondary Mathematics outcomes.

Otieno attributed this decline not to a challenging curriculum but rather to a rigid grading and assessment framework. He emphasized that the current system discourages learners, especially those not pursuing STEM pathways, and asserted that Mathematics should exclusively be a core subject for students whose future courses necessitate it.

Optional Mathematics in Senior School

The Ministry of Education’s initiative to make Mathematics optional in senior secondary school has ignited public discourse. Within the restructured framework, core compulsory subjects will encompass English, Kiswahili or Kenya Sign Language, Physical Education, and Community Service Learning.

Notwithstanding the criticism, forecasts suggest that approximately 60 percent of senior school students will still choose to take Mathematics, particularly those following the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) track. Nevertheless, Otieno cautioned that mandating Mathematics could impede students who are more inclined toward the arts.

KNEC contended that revising subject prerequisites might assist in addressing the “dismal pass rate below 30 percent” recorded in KCSE Mathematics. Otieno also remarked that comparable practices are noticed in other regional examination frameworks.

Curriculum developers have defended the inclusion of Community Service Learning and Physical Education as compulsory subjects. Eunice Gachoka from the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development emphasized research that supports the importance of Physical Education in psychomotor coordination, cognitive development, and the overall wellness of learners.

She additionally stated that Community Service Learning is vital for fostering responsible, patriotic citizens, especially at a juncture when national values appear to be diminishing. Speakers at the KNEC symposium echoed the significance of character-building elements in education to counteract the decline in social values within the nation.

KNEC Justifies Decision to Eliminate Mandatory Mathematics in Senior School.