New changes have been announced by the Ministry of Education on the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) following recommendations made by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.
Following the adjustments geared towards eliminating duplication and overlaps across the various levels of basic education, all the learning areas for lower primary to junior secondary have have been reduced.
Under lower primary, the learning areas have been reduced from 9 to 7 areas.
For the upper primary, the learning areas are now 8 in number down from 10 .
CBC changes on new curriculum also saw earners in Junior Secondary School (JSS) now undertaking 9 learning areas as opposed to the previous 14.
Even with the new changes, the key learning subjects like English, Kiswahili, Kenya Sign Language Mathematics plus Religious Education subjects have been maintained.
The new CBC changes saw the other learning areas like Integrated Science and Health Education have merged and will now be referred to as Integrated Science.
On the other hand , Social Studies and Life Skills have been integrated into one learning area which is now referred to as Social Studies.
Agriculture subject and some aspects of Home Science have also been merged will now be commonly referred to as Agriculture and Nutrition.
On the same note, other concepts of Home Science will however be Integrated in Science and plus other relevant learning areas.
Pre-Technical Studies will incorporate what was formerly known as Pre – technical studies with Computer and Business Studies .
Grade 5 pupils sit for mathematics paper during start of Kenya National Examinations Council ;IMAGE/FILE
Physical Education, Sports subject and Visual and Performing Arts will now be merged into one learning area known as Creative Arts and Sports.
The new structure new structure will have no no optional learning area for JSS with the total lessons per week reduced to 41 from 45.
However, there are six learning areas in Upper Primary which remain unchanged save for the slight adjustments in the number of lessons per week which now shift from 40 to 35.
These includes the Pastoral Instruction Programme (PPI).
