- KNEC has barred schools from registering Grade 10 learners for overlapping subject combinations such as General Science alongside Biology, Chemistry, or Physics.
- The council has streamlined religious education registration, limiting learners to one subject among CRE, IRE, or HRE.
- KNEC has clarified Mathematics requirements, confirming Pure Sciences learners must take Core Mathematics while other pathways may choose between Core and Essential Mathematics.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has barred schools from registering Grade 10 learners for overlapping or conflicting subject combinations, issuing new directives to guide the ongoing subject registration process under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum.
In a circular sent to senior schools, the council directed that learners be registered strictly based on confirmed subject selections aligned with approved pathways, clarifying that subject combinations must adhere to curriculum standards with clear restrictions to prevent overlaps. For instance, learners who opt for General Science will not be permitted to also register for Biology, Chemistry, or Physics, as the two options are mutually exclusive.
The council emphasised that subject choices made during registration will directly influence classroom instruction, career pathways, and future assessments, and has urged principals and administrators to ensure accuracy in learner information and subject combinations to avoid misplacement and irregularities in the system.
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Religious education has also been streamlined under the new rules. Learners will only be allowed to register for one subject; either Christian Religious Education (CRE), Islamic Religious Education (IRE), or Hindu Religious Education (HRE). Similarly, Kenya Sign Language (KSL) has been reserved exclusively for deaf learners, who will not be eligible to take Kiswahili or Fasihi ya Kiswahili, while hearing learners may enrol for Sign Language Skills but cannot register for KSL.
Mathematics requirements have also been clearly outlined to match the different pathways. Learners pursuing Pure Sciences must register for Core Mathematics and are barred from taking Essential Mathematics, while those in Applied Sciences, Technical and Engineering, Social Sciences, or Arts and Sports pathways have the option of choosing between Core Mathematics and Essential Mathematics depending on their academic trajectory.
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KNEC has stressed that diligence during registration is critical, noting that errors in subject selection could derail learners’ placement and assessment. Principals have been reminded that the process is not merely administrative but foundational to shaping learners’ future careers under the new curriculum.
By Kimutai Cherongis
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