Dear reader, the oeuvre of a policy document titled Guidelines for Implementation of Senior School Education (2025) states that learners joining Senior School in Grade 10 should do 4 compulsory and 3 elective subjects. Then, the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER, 2023) recommends 7 subjects to be examined in both formative and summative assessments. Happily, in the Grade 10 timetable, there is an inclusion of 2 non-examinable subjects and 2 activities.
In Competency-Based Education (CBE), learners should sit for the formative: School-Based Assessments (SBAs) in Grades 10 and 11. Likewise, there is a summative assessment in Grade 12: the Kenya Certificate of Basic Education (KCBE). In the MoE circular dated May 8, 2026 and titled Roll-out of Competency-Based Assessments in Senior School, the pundits posit: Formative assessments (SBAs) in Grade 10 will be 15%. Grade 11 will also be 15%. Meaning, summative assessment (KCBE) in Grade 12 will be 70%.
Broadly, in CBE, there are Pathways, which cascade into Tracks. Subjects feature in every Track. Beginning with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Pathway, which has 3 Tracks: Pure Science, Applied Science and Technical Studies. Pure Science Track has 4 subjects, namely: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and General Science.
Then, the Applied Science Track has 3 subjects, which include: Agriculture, Computer Studies and Home Science. The Technical Studies Track has the highest number of subjects. 8 in total. They include: Aviation, Building Construction, Electricity, Power Mechanics, Metalwork, Woodwork, Media Technology, and Marine and Fisheries Technology.
Secondly, there is the Social Sciences Pathway, with 2 Tracks, which include: Languages and Literature Track, and Humanities Track. Subjects in Languages and Literature Track include: Literature in English, Fasihi ya Kiswahili, Sign Language, Arabic, French, German, Mandarin Chinese and Indigenous Languages. Whereas subjects in the Humanities Track include: 3 Religious Education – Christian Religious Education (CRE), Islamic Religious Education (IRE) or Hindu Religious Education (HRE). There is History and Citizenship, Geography and Business Studies.
Thirdly, we have the Arts and Sports Pathway with 2 Tracks: the Arts Track and the Sports Science Track. Arts Track has 3 subjects, including: Music and Dance, Theatre and Film, and Fine Arts. While the Sports Science Track has 2 subjects featuring: Physical Education (PE), and Sports and Recreation.
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Consequently, 4 compulsory subjects I had hinted to include: English, Kiswahili or Kenya Sign Language (KSL), Core-Mathematics or Essential Mathematics and Community Service Learning (CSL). Likewise, there are 2 supportive subjects for all learners – Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance both computer and digital literacy, and Physical Education (PE) to enhance physical fitness. Then, 2 supportive activities feature for all learners as Pastoral or Religious Programme Instruction (P/RI): to enhance moral, spiritual and character development. Then, Personal or Group Study to assist learners in engaging in personal studies and collaborative learning.
It is instructive to note: the 3 elective subjects Grade 10 learners ought to choose from preferred Pathways is the gist of this discussion: Subject-selection for comely career choices. Concerning subject-composition and combination to contribute to the 3 elective subjects Grade 10 learners should choose in Senior School, we refer to the circular released by MoE on August 8, 2025, which was titled: Implementation of Competency-Based Curriculum at Senior School.
Advisedly, learners in the STEM Pathway should take Core-Mathematics. While learners in Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports Sciences Pathways should take Essential Mathematics. Although there is a caveat: A learner who is not in the STEM Pathway that opts to do Core-Mathematics should be allowed to do it. More so, in case their Junior School assessment depicts ability. The architects of CBE must have thought of allowing learners in the non-STEM Pathway to opt for Core-Mathematics because we have courses in Business such as Accounting, Economics, Actuarial Science, Banking, et cetera, which may call for strength in Mathematics.
By the same token, the circular contends, learners select at least 2 subjects from the chosen Pathway. Meaning, a learner may take 3 subjects from the chosen Pathway. Or just select 2 subjects in the chosen Pathway, and pick 1 more subject from another Pathway for complementary purposes. There is another provision in the circular looking quite tricky. It states: It should be anticipated that a situation may arise where the learner’s career choice requires that they take 1 subject in each Pathway. Such a situation should be permitted.
Moreover, when Grade 10 newbies are selecting the 3 elective subjects, it is important to consider a raft of fascinating factors such as: MoEs guidelines, dream careers, aptitude or ability, interest, personality, advice from career experts (career counsellors, specialists and educators), and school policy on subjects. MoEs guidelines are crystal-clear, learners can only do 4 compulsory subjects: English, Kiswahili or Kenya Sign Language (KSL), Core-Mathematics or Essential Mathematics and Community Service Learning (CSL).
So, both English and Kiswahili are used to enhance literacy in learners. Kenya Sign Language (KSL) features in specialised institutions to serve the same purpose. There are Grade 10 learners who are wondering why their Senior Schools are not offering Kenya Sign Language (KSL). They should know it is a subject reserved for specialised institutions: to support learners with hearing impairment in the promotion of inclusive education. Likewise, learners should do either Core Mathematics or Essential Mathematics for numeracy.
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More importantly, while arriving at the 3 possible subject combinations, Grade 10 learners should make an informed choice based on future career prospects. For comparative purposes, when you pore over The Essential Career Guide, Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Service (KUCCPS) points out that every career requires 4 subjects to blend better as subject clusters for any course. For instance, in the 8-4-4 System, a student aspiring to pursue a medical course requires: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics, and English or Kiswahili. We may cross the bridge once we get there. Albeit, in my understanding as a career educator, one subject cannot determine qualification for a certain course.
So, in CBE, a Grade 10 learner in the STEM Pathway wishing to pursue Medicine must pick Biology and Chemistry in the Pure Science Track. Then, complement it with Agriculture in the Applied Science Track for diversification purposes. Progressively, being that life is a journey, and not a destination, the learner may opt to shift from practising human medicine and focus on animal medicine. In this case, Agriculture will work well with Biology and Chemistry to create opportunities in Veterinary Medicine or Science.
In a different scenario, a Grade 10 learner in the Social Sciences Pathway yearning to pursue Law in future, can pick History and Citizenship, Literature in English in the Social Sciences Pathway, and Theatre and Film in the Arts Track of the Arts and Sports Science Pathway. History and Citizenship is good because it will expose the learner to historical facts, governance and global issues. Likewise, Literature in English will assist the learner in honing stupendous skills needed in the analysis of texts. For instance, the Constitution. Conversely, Literature in English and Theatre and Film can work well to make the learner explore Journalism and Mass Communication.
Finally, the school policy on subjects influences subject selection in Grade 10. When I sit to ideate and write about school policy on subjects, I think of the availability of teachers, the availability of resources, school history, timetabling, et cetera. So, there are Grade 10 learners who are not able to settle on their preferred subjects of choice in some Senior Schools. More so, when we think of categorisation of Senior Schools as Dual and Triple Pathway Schools. The former has a narrow curriculum. Whereas the latter has a broad curriculum. Some subjects are not offered in some Senior Schools due to sheer teacher shortage and inadequate infrastructure. In such a situation, Grade 10 learners should just adjust. Advisably, a Grade 10 learner should have at least 4 dream careers in mind. For it is futile to put all eggs in one basket. In case the basket breaks, all is lost. Ugh!
By Victor Ochieng’
Ochieng’ is a career educator. He guides Grade 10 learners on Pathways, Subject-Selection, Career Choices, Study Skills and Preparation for School-Based Assessments (SBAs). vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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