CBC Subjects Guide: PP1-Grade 12 Kenya Education System

Q: How many subjects are taught in CBC Grade 4?

CBC Grade 4 students study 5 learning areas including English, Kiswahili/Kenyan Sign Language, Mathematics, Environmental Activities, and Creative Activities, plus Physical and Health Education.

Q: What subjects do Grade 7 students take in CBC?

Grade 7 CBC students take 8 learning areas: English, Kiswahili/KSL, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Health Education, Pre-Technical Studies, Social Studies, and Creative Arts plus Physical Education.

Q: Which subjects are compulsory in CBC Senior School?

In CBC Senior School (Grades 10-12), compulsory subjects include English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, and one subject from each of the three career pathways: STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts & Sports Science.

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Kenya’s Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) follows a structured 2-6-3-3 education system with specific subjects for each learning stage. This comprehensive guide helps students and parents understand the complete subject structure from pre-primary level through Grade 12, covering all three educational phases of the CBC framework.

Below is a list of subjects taught in CBC Grade 1 to 12, PP1 and PP2 in Kenya’s new 2-6-3-3 system of education.

CBC Levels of Education

Understanding Subjects taught in CBC , 2-6-3-3 system of education in Kenya/Photo Source

Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) in Kenya is divided into three levels of education. That is ;

Early Years Education (Pre-Primary and Lower Primary)
Middle School Education (Upper Primary and Junior Secondary)
Senior School

Pre Primary Subjects (Pp1 and Pp2)

subjects taught in cbc pp1 to grade 3 — CBC Early Years of Education: Pp1 to grade 3/Photo Source

Subjects taught at this level include:

Language Activities
Mathematical Activities
Environmental Activities
Psychomotor and Creative Activities
Religious Education Activities
Pre Braille Activities

Lower Primary Subjects (Grade 1, 2, 3)

Subjects taught at lower primary include:

Literacy Activities or Braille Literacy Activities
Kiswahili Language Activities or Kenya Sign Language (for deaf learners)
English Language Activities
Mathematical Activities
Environmental Activities
Hygiene and Nutrition Activities
Religious Education Activities
Movement and Creative Activities

Upper Primary Subjects (Grade 4, 5, 6)

CBC Middle School Education Subjects taught — CBC Middle School Education/Photo Source

Upper primary is part of middle school. Upper primary has Grade 4, 5, 6. Subjects taught in upper primary include:

English
Kiswahili or Kenya Sign Language
Home Science
Agriculture
Science and Technology
Mathematics
Religious Education (CRE or IRE or HRE)
Creative Arts
Physical and Health Education
Social Studies

Optional subjects taught in upper primary include;

Foreign Languages (Arabic, French, German, Mandarin)

Indigenous languages
Kenyan Sign Language
Braille literacy

NB: ICT should be included in all learning areas. There should also be pastoral program once in a week.

Junior Secondary Subjects (Grade 7, 8, 9)

Junior Secondary is part of middle school. Junior Secondary comprises of Grade 7, 8, 9. There are core and optional subjects in Grade 7, 8, and 9. Core subjects are mandatory and they include:

English
Kiswahili or Kenyan Sign Language
Mathematics
Integrated Science
Health Education
Pre-Technical and Pre-Career Education
Social Studies
Religious Education
Business Studies
Agriculture
Life Skills
Sports and Physical Education

Optional Subjects

Learners should do a minimum of one and maximum of two optional subjects which include:

Visual Arts
Performing Arts
Home Science
Computer Science
Foreign Languages (German, French, Mandarin, or Arabic)
Kenyan Sign Language
Indigenous Languages

Senior School Subjects (Grade 10, 11, 12)

CBC Senior School Subjects and pathways/Photo Source

Senior School comprises of Grade 10, 11 and 12. In senior school, students have to select one pathway that they want to specialize in from the three that have been listed below. Each pathway has its own subjects that we will also list. The three Pathways include:

Arts and Sports Science
Social Sciences
Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

1) Art and Sport Science Pathway Subjects

This pathway has Core and Optional Subjects. Core subjects are mandatory to students that have selected the pathway and a minimum of one and maximum of two optional subjects in Arts and Sport Science:

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Arts Core subjects

Legal and Ethical issues in Arts
Communication Skills

Arts Optional Subjects

Performing Arts
Music
Dance
Theatre and Elocution
Fine Art
Applied Art
Time Based Media
Crafts

Sports Science Core subjects

Human Physiology, Anatomy and Nutrition
Sports Ethics

Sports Science Optional Subjects

Athletics
Indoor Games
Gymnastics
water Sports
Boxing
Martial Arts
Outdoor Pursuits
Advanced Physical Education

2) Social Sciences Pathway Subjects

Students who have selected the Social Sciences pathway are required to do a minimum of 3 and maximum of 5 subjects. The Subjects include:

Humanities

History and Citizenship
Geography
Christian Religious Education
Islamic Religious Education
Hindu Religious Education
Business Studies
Mathematics

Languages

English Language
Literature in English
Lugha ya Kiswahili
Fasihi ya Kiswahili
Kenyan Sign Language
Indigenous Languages
Arabic
French
German
Mandarin

Business Studies

3) Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Subjects

This pathway is divided into four tracks which include:

Pure sciences
Applied sciences
Technical and engineering
Career in Technology Studies

Each track (learning category) has core and optional subjects.

a) Pure sciences

Core Subjects include:

Community Service Learning
Physical Education
ICT

Optional Subjects include:

Learners are required to select a minimum of 3 from the 4:

Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Biology

b) Applied sciences

Core Subjects include;

Community Service Learning
Physical Education
ICT

Optional Subjects include;

Students are required to select one subject only:

Agriculture
Computer Science
Foods and Nutrition
Home Management

c) Technical and engineering

Core Subjects include:

Community Service Learning
Physical Education
ICT
Mathematics
Chemistry or Biological Sciences
Physics or Biology or Physical Sciences

Optional Subjects:

Students are required to select one:

Agricultural Technology
Geosciences Technology
Marine and Fisheries Technology
Aviation Technology
Wood Technology
Electrical Technology
Metal Technology
Power Mechanics
Clothing Technology
Construction Technology
Media Technology
Electronics Technology
Manufacturing Technology
Mechatronic

d) Career in Technology Studies

Core Subjects:

Community Service Learning
Physical Education
ICT

Optional Subjects include:

Students should select one optional subject;

Garment Making and Interior Design
Leather Work
Culinary Arts
Hair Dressing and Beauty Therapy
Plumbing and Ceramics
Welding and Fabrication
Tourism and Travel
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
Animal Keeping
Exterior Design and Landscaping
Building Construction
Photography
Graphic Designing and Animation
Food and Beverage
Motor Vehicle Mechanics
Carpentry and Joinery
Fire Fighting
Metalwork
Electricity
Land Surveying
Science Laboratory Technology
Electronics
Printing Technology
Crop Production

NOTE 2: Schools should teach subjects that their infrastructure can support.

NOTE 2: Irrespective of the pathway a senior school student selects, he or she must do Community Service Learning and Physical Education. They are core subjects in senior school for all pathways.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many subjects are taught in CBC Grade 4?
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What subjects do Grade 7 students take in CBC?
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Which subjects are compulsory in CBC Senior School?
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