Why students must study a variety of subjects in school

Two weeks ago, a student from Alliance High School raised an important question with Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i: Why should students study up to eight subjects when all they require is one or two subjects which are core to the profession or career they wish to study after school? The question the student posed to the top policy makers may look naïve to many people.

 

However, it was not an idle question because of two major reasons. First, students get confused when some of their teachers make cynical remarks against other subjects, saying the subjects they teach are core to certain careers.

 Secondly, some of the subjects students study are never taken into account in clustering requirements for courses in tertiary and higher education institutions. Students are likely to wonder why they are required to study these subjects when, in the final analysis, they are never mentioned in the requirements for certain courses.

 We should appreciate that education, particularly basic education, serves a broader purpose beyond preparation for or into careers. Education is an institution through which society moulds successive generations of citizens.

Through schooling, students are expected to develop holistically. They are expected to find identity, meaning, and purpose in life through connections to the community, the natural world, and to enduring values such as compassion.

 In addition, they are expected to acquire certain abilities, skills, attitudes, and habits of thinking that enables them to effectively discharge their duties productive members of the society.

 Restricting students to a few subjects would deny them a chance to develop their minds, hearts and souls. They will also never develop the multiple abilities, skills and capabilities nature has endowed them with.

 Only a broad and balanced curriculum that can help them to understand their potential and, based on that self-knowledge, deepen their understanding, skills and capabilities in post-secondary education and training experience. A narrow curriculum cannot help society meet multiple objectives that educational policy seeks to attain.