The announcement by the Ministry of Education that Mathematics will no longer be a compulsory subject when Grade 9 learners transition to Senior school next year has been met with a mix of excitement and disapproval from learners and stakeholders.

Ahead of the transition, the pioneer Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) class will be required to choose career paths before sitting their Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) in November.

Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang announced Thursday last week that the nine graders will begin selecting their subjects and senior schools in the second term of this year.

They will select subjects from a pool of 38 options called learning areas, which will determine which career pathways they will pursue going forward.

The learners will be placed in Senior School based on three career pathways known as tracks (subject combination, which under CBC are known as learning areas).

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These are: (I) Arts and Sports Science; (II) Science, Technology and Mathematics (STEM), and (III) Social Science.

STEM has four tracks - Pure Science, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering and Career Technology Studies (CTS).

With the elimination of Mathematics, English or Kenya Sign Language, Kiswahili, Physical Education and Community Service Learning are now the only remaining mandatory subjects each of the learners must select regardless of the career pathway they choose to pursue into adulthood.

This is a shift from the 40-year-old 8-4-4 system which placed emphasis on Mathematics as a core STEM subject alongside Physics and Chemistry.

As it now stands, a learner can choose to study STEM without necessarily taking Mathematics, a tricky undertaking considering the world over, Mathematics is a compulsory subject for careers in STEM fields, business studies and sports science.

The subject is also a prerequisite for many undergraduate courses, especially those in engineering, science, and technology.

In an exclusive interview with Nation in Mombasa published March 11, PS Kipsang sought to clarify why Mathematics ought not be a mandatory subject.

"I need to demystify this compulsory thing of mathematics. The only thing which is compulsory to all schools is that STEM pathways should be done by every school. But doing STEM pathway does not mean that children are forced to do STEM, it is only that it is available," the PS said.

In his initial announcement, he said: "In Grade 10, it is not compulsory to do mathematics and sciences subjects. Because if you are not doing humanities, or sciences why would you be required to do mathematics?"

In a statement on Monday, March 17, the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) protested against the decision to remove Mathematics as a compulsory subject.

Whereas some learners who detaste the subject expressed excitement, IEK warned that making Mathematics optional for Senior schools posed challenges that could impact Kenya’s workforce and economic sustainability.

The engineers' body argued that without a solid grounding in Mathematics, students will struggle to develop the requisite analytical skills necessary for success in engineering and other technical professions.

“Mathematics, in particular, is the language of engineering and technology, underpinning design, optimisation, problem-solving and data analysis in fields ranging from civil and electrical engineering to artificial intelligence and renewable energy,” the institution said.

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To put the engineers' concerns into perspective, below is a list of courses that require a solid understanding of mathematics, without which one will not be enlisted in many colleges and universities across the world.

Mathematics:

Mathematics is a natural choice for anyone seeking to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics.

Actuarial Science:

This field involves the use of mathematical models to assess risk and make financial decisions.

Statistics:

Statistics is a branch of mathematics that deals with the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data.

Business and Economics:

Many business courses like Business Administration involve finance, accounting, and economics, which all require a strong understanding of mathematical concepts.

Economics relies heavily on mathematical models and statistical analysis.

Engineering:

This includes civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering.

Science:

The courses include physics, chemistry, and biology which often incorporate mathematical principles.

Technology:

Technology courses that heavily rely on mathematical concepts and skills include Computer Science, Information Technology (IT) and other related fields. 

Architecture:

Architecture and design courses require mathematical principles and a strong understanding of spatial reasoning.

Sports Science:

While not definitively popular in the sense of being a mainstream career choice, sports science is gaining traction in Kenya in cognisance of its importance for athlete well-being and performance.

Sports science and sports management often involve data analysis and mathematical modeling.

Given Kenya's rich history in athletics, basketball, volleyball, and netball, it's a career worth pursuing.