)
)
In a bid to enhance the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER), has introduced significant changes to the learning areas across various levels of the education system.
This move, aimed at addressing issues of content overload, gaps, and overlaps, is part of ongoing efforts to improve the quality of education in Kenya.
Trimming down learning areas
The PWPER, in its report on the implementation of CBC, recommended a reduction in the number of learning areas for both lower and upper primary schools.
)
)
)
)
Education CS Ezekiel Machogu at Lenana School during the release of the Form One selection results for 2023 KCPE candidates
READ: Ministry announces scholarships for 2023 KCPE candidates to join Form One
The goal is to create a more focused and integrated curriculum that facilitates a comprehensive understanding of subjects.
According to the recommendations, the learning areas for Pre-Primary, Lower Primary, Upper Primary, Junior School, and Senior School have specific limits to ensure a balanced and effective curriculum.
Key changes in pre-primary
For Pre-Primary (PP1-PP2), the PWPER has maintained the five learning areas, ensuring consistency with the existing structure.
The learning areas include Language Activities, Mathematical Activities, Creative Activities, Environmental Activities, Religious Activities, and the Pastoral/Religious Instruction Programme.
)
Kids in nursery school (Ebony Magazine)
Integration & reduction in lower primary
In Lower Primary (Grades 1-3), the number of learning areas has been reduced from nine to seven.
Notably, Agriculture and aspects of Home Science have been integrated into a composite subject called Agriculture and Nutrition, streamlining the curriculum. Additionally, Creative Arts now includes aspects of Art, Craft, Music, and Physical Education with seven lessons per week.
The changes aim to enhance the comprehensibility of subjects and reduce content overload.
)
A teacher at Shauri Yako Primary school in Homa Bay town teaches grade four pupils
Restructuring upper primary
Similarly, in Upper Primary (Grades 4-6), the learning areas have been reduced from ten to eight.
Agriculture and Home Science have been amalgamated into Agriculture and Nutrition, while Creative Arts encompasses various artistic elements.
These changes are designed to optimise learning experiences and create a more cohesive curriculum for students.
Revamping junior high school
The recommendations extend to Junior School (Grades 7-9), where the learning areas have been reduced from fourteen to nine.
)
Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication and the Digital Economy Eliud Owalo with learners from Ndurarua Primary Primary School in Dagoreti Sub-County, during the 2022 KCPE and KEPSEA national exams on November 29, 2022
Core subjects will be taken by all learners, and the integration of subjects like Integrated Science and Health Education into a single learning area called Integrated Science is intended to provide a holistic understanding of related concepts.
Other subjects, such as Social Studies and Life Skills Education, have also been integrated for a more streamlined curriculum.
Creative Arts and sports integration
To promote a more holistic approach to education, the Ministry of Education has integrated Physical Education and Sports, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts into a composite subject known as Creative Arts and Sports.
)
KCPE Candidates at the Moi Nyeri Complex Primary School on Tuesday, March 8, 2022
READ: CS Machogu speaks on admission of students with pending scholarship applications
This innovative approach aims to nurture students' creativity and physical well-being.
The Ministry has clarified that Other Languages (Foreign, Sign Language, and Indigenous Language) will be implemented as non-formal programs, remaining non-examinable at the Junior School level.