Abstract

Mathematics is a core subject in the school curriculum and has been considered a critical filter in learners’ career progression. In Kenya over the years mathematics has been considered one of the four subjects used to compute the cluster points for learners selected into different courses at the university. Other than being one of the cluster subjects, it is used when computing the mean grade of students in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations. It enjoys the vantage position accorded to two other compulsory subjects English and Kiswahili. Admissibility into teaching profession by the Teachers Service Commission has had considerable focus on the grades a candidate scored in mathematics. For one to be a teacher of science subjects other than mathematics, they must have scored at least a mean grade C in mathematics and a minimum of C plus in each of the two teaching subjects. On the other hand, for one to be a teacher of Arts based subject other than mathematics, they need to have scored at least a D plus in mathematics and a minimum of C plus in the two teaching subjects. The prominence given to Mathematics begs the question why? Therefore, the objectives of this paper will be to define mathematics, identify the reasons why mathematics should be taught and learned at various levels of education, describe the qualities of an effective teacher of mathematics at the various levels of education, and finally discuss whether the subject should be optional at Senior School in Kenya. In the past few weeks of the month of April 2025, there has been a raging debate on whether mathematics should be an optional subject at Senior School come the year 2026 during the transition of grade 9 learners from the Junior School to grade 10 in Senior School. This paper addresses the curriculum changes in mathematics in Kenya dating from the colonial times to date. It will consider a critical review of literature on mathematics education from the global perspective to the local perspective as recorded in research theses, published peer reviewed journal papers, reports from departments and agencies of the ministries of education. In Kenya since independence in 1963, there have been three major curriculum reforms that affected the structure of the education system. The reforms were, the change from the 7-4-2-3 to the 8-4-4 and then lately the from the 8-4-4 to the current 2-6-3-3-3 Competency Based Education (CBE). In this paper emphasis is put on the causes for the curriculum changes and how the changes have impacted on the implementation of the mathematics curriculum and the challenges that have been encountered over the years in the implementation of the mathematics curriculum.