List of subjects to be taught in junior secondary

Book vendors display books in the streets of Migori town. [Caleb Kingwara, Standard]

The Ministry of Education has released the list of subjects that will be taught in junior secondary schools in Kenya.

Students joining junior secondary will report on Monday, January 30, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said last week.

Junior secondary has students in grades seven, eight, and nine.

Students in regular junior secondary schools will be taught English, Mathematics, Pre-technical studies, Kiswahili, Integrated Science, Social Studies, Business Studies, Agriculture, Religious Education, Health Education, Sports, Physical Education and Life Skills Education.

Schools will have the option of teaching two more optional subjects.

Sports and Physical Education and Health Education will be taught twice a week, while Mathematics and English will be taught five times a week.

Pre-technical studies, Kiswahili and Integrated Science will be taught four times a week while Social Studies, Business Studies, Agriculture, and Religious Education will be taught thrice weekly.

Life Skills will have one lesson each week, while the two optional subjects will be taught thrice a week.

The optional subjects will include Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Home Science, Computer Science, and Foreign Languages (French, German, Mandarin, Arabic, Kenyan Sign Language, and Indigenous Language).

Learners living with disabilities, unlike their counterparts in regular schools, will be taught Pre-vocational schools, Physical and Health Education, Communication and Social Skills, Daily Living Skills, Mathematical Activities, Music and Movement, Religious Education, Hygiene, Nutrition and Safety, Environmental Activities, and Social Studies.

The Ministry of Education, though Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, said learners in the junior secondary will have a four-level performance criterion.

Top performers (those exceeding expectations) will be graded as Level 4, meeting expectation (Level 3), approaching expectation (Level 2), and below expectation (Level 1).

"Level 1 indicates that the learner has difficulties in demonstrating proficiency in the task performed in terms of technical skills, originality, creativity, initiative and requires appropriate intervention," said Belio Kipsang in published guidelines for the roll-out of junior secondary.

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) will be in charge of the learners' assessment.