The Ministry of Education has reduced the number of subjects and lessons that learners will take under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) effective January 2024.
The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms Report recommended the reduction of the learning area at all primary school levels under the CBC system to reduce duplication and overlaps across various levels of basic education.
Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), in consultation with the ministry, had rationalized the learning areas from pre-primary (PP) to junior high school.
“Revised curriculum designs for the rationalized learning areas will be available on the KICD website starting in January and will be distributed to schools in the course of the first term. Guidelines for senior schools shall be released during the first term,” said Kipsang.
According to the taskforce report, subjects in pre-primary should not exceed five, while in lower primary (grades 1-3), the subjects should not exceed seven.
In upper primary (grades 4–6), learners should not take more than eight subjects.
Agriculture has been integrated with aspects of home science into one composite subject referred to as Agriculture and Nutrition, which has four lessons per week.
Creative arts will comprise aspects of art and craft, music, and physical education with a total of seven lessons.
Languages—indigenous and foreign—will be implemented on this level as non-formal (co-curricular) programs.
In junior high school (grades 7-9), subjects should not exceed nine and are compulsory.
The PS said that Integrated Science and Health Education have been integrated into one learning area known as Integrated Science with five lessons per week. Social Studies and Life Skills have been combined and will now be referred to as Social Studies, with four lessons a week.
Similarly, agriculture and aspects of home science have been integrated into one composite subject referred to as agriculture and nutrition, with four lessons per week.
“Please note that there are other concepts of home science that have been integrated within integrated science and other relevant learning areas,” explained the PS.
Pre-technical Studies, Computer Science, and Business Studies have been integrated into one composite subject referred to as Pre-Technical Studies, with four lessons per week.
In senior school (grades 10–12), subjects taken should not exceed seven.
Physical Education and Sports, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts have been put together to become Creative Arts and Sports with five lessons a week.
Other languages—French Sign Language and Indigenous—will also be implemented as non-formal programs on this level and are non-examinable at junior school.
Other subjects at this level are English, mathematics, Kiswahili/KSL, and religious education.
At PP1 and PP2, the PS said the subjects are currently five and will remain as they are, in line with the recommendations.
The PS stated that designs and curriculum support materials will be provided to schools to guide their implementation.=====
