KUPPET rejects Gov't proposal to make Mathematics optional

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has strongly opposed the government’s proposal to make Mathematics an optional subject at the senior school level, arguing that such a move would undermine the nation’s workforce development and educational standards.

This comes after the Ministry of Education recently announced that Maths will no longer be compulsory for senior secondary learners under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), marking a drastic shift from the phased out 8-4-4 system.

In the new system, students will take four compulsory subjects, namely; English or Kenya Sign Language, Kiswahili, Physical Education, and Community Service Learning. They will then choose three other subjects from a pool of 38 options.

According to KUPPET Acting Secretary General Moses Nthurima, however, Mathematics is a foundational subject with applications across multiple disciplines, including humanities, sports, and STEM fields.

Nthurima, speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, hence insisted that making Mathematics optional would be detrimental to students' academic and professional futures.

“KUPPET rejects the government's proposal to make Mathematics an optional subject at the senior school level,” he stated.

"Maths is an essential subject for building a competent workforce for the 21st Century. Indeed, Maths also has a wide application in the learning of all other areas including humanities, sports and of course STEM.”

The KUPPET boss also raised concerns over the recent Teachers Service Commission (TSC) promotion list, which has sparked an outcry among educators across the country.

Nthurima stated that the union's National Executive Board has received multiple complaints from teachers who feel unfairly sidelined in the 2024/2025 promotions.

He cited the primary grievance as the equal distribution of the 25,252 promotional vacancies across all 47 counties, regardless of disparities in staffing levels.

The union's Secretary General argued that this approach disadvantages teachers in counties with high teacher populations, such as Kiambu and Kakamega, where competition for promotions is significantly stiffer.

“The clear implication is that teachers in smaller counties were highly favored while their counterparts in densely populated counties continue to pile up on merit lists due to high competition among qualified candidates,” added Nthurima.

KUPPET hence called for a review of the promotion process to ensure fairness, advocating for a merit-based approach that considers staffing levels in different counties.