The Ministry of Education (MoE) has lowered the number of subjects and respective lessons covered in both lower and upper primary schools in accordance with the presidential working party on Education Reforms (PWPER) recommendations.
According to the ministry, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) should come up with reduced the number of learning areas for both lower and upper primary schools to improve the quality of education in Kenya.
1.Pre- primary ( pp1 and pp2)
Consequently , the KICD and MoE has now maintained the current five learning areas under Pre-Primary (PP1-PP2) as clearly recommended by the PWPER education report.
Under this level , the learning areas include;
- Language Activities
- Mathematical Activities
- Creative Activities
- Environmental Activities
- Religious Activities
- Pastoral/Religious Instruction Programme.
2.Specific Learning Areas In Lower Primary (Grade 1-3).
As recommend by the PWPER, the number of learning areas has been reduced by KICD from the current nine to seven.
At the same time , learners now take 31 lessons per week from the previous 35.
- Indigenous Language Activities (2 lessons)
- Kiswahili Language Activities and Kenya Sign Language Activities (4 lessons)
- English Language Activities (5 lessons)
- Mathematical Activities (5 lessons)
- Religious Education Activities (3 lessons)
- Environmental Activities(4 lessons)
- Creative Activities (7 lessons)
- Pastoral and Religious Instruction Programme (1 lesson).
The mandatory Hygiene and Nutrition learning activities have been integrated within Environmental Activities with four lessons per week .
Creative Arts that now includes aspects of Art, Craft, Music and Physical Education will have 7 lessons per week.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu when he appeared before the Senate Education Commitee on March 9,2023; Image/Courtesy
3.KICD Learning Areas in Upper Primary (Grades 4- 6)
Under this level,learning areas have been reduced from 10 to 8 areas .
The number of lessons also has reduced from 40 to 35 per week.
The other lessons under this primary schools remain like the areas above but Agriculture learning area has been integrated with aspects of Home Science into one composite subject referred to as Agriculture and Nutrition with 4 lessons per week.
Creative Arts has been slated for 7 lessons.
This new learning structure took effect in early January 2024 as schools reopened for first term of the year.
