CBC Pathways and Subjects in Senior School

The CBC curriculum is aimed to equip the learner with the knowledge, skill, and attitude to navigate the 21st-century requirements. 

The current high school (senior school) will offer different pathways depending on its infrastructure.

In Kenya, after junior school learners progress to senior school where they specialize depending on their talents and interests.

The Basic Education Curriculum Framework (BECF) 2019 by KICD, specifies three (3) pathways. The pathways include:

1. Arts and sports science
2. Social sciences
3. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

For all learners irrespective of the pathway choice they must take community service and physical education as core units in addition to others in their specialization

Arts and Sports Science pathway

This pathway will equip the learner with skills and knowledge in arts and sports. It is further categorized into 3 areas.

Sports science option

The path allows learners to pursue courses depending on their interests, abilities, and personality type.

Subjects in sports science

Core subjects

1. Human Physiology, Anatomy, and Nutrition
2. Sports Ethics

Optional Subjects

The learner is required to take a minimum of one and a maximum of two subjects:

1. Ball Games
2. Athletics
3. Indoor Games
4. Gymnastics
5. v) Water Sports
6. Boxing
7. vii) Martial Arts
8. Outdoor Pursuits
9. Advanced Physical Education

Career prospects

Those who take this pathway can either be self-employed or be employees in the following career areas:

1. Instructor
2. Physiotherapist
3. Sports coach
4. Sports nutritionist,
5. Personal trainer
6. Gym attendant, 
7. Fitness program coordinator
8. Swimming pool attendant, coaching
9. Physical therapist
10. Referee
11. Athletic trainer
12. Stadia manager
13. Aerobics and anaerobic trainer
14. Sports journalists among others

Performing arts option

This deals with music, dance, theatre, and elocution. The learner will specialize in one of the areas depending on their interest.

Subjects in performing arts

The subjects in the area are

Core subjects

1. Legal and Ethical issues in Arts
2. Communication Skills

Optional Subjects

The learner is required to take one of the following subjects:

1. Music
2. Dance
3. Theatre and Elocution

Career prospects

The job opportunities for performing arts include:

1. Musician
2. Dancer
3. Vocalist
4. Comedian
5. Instrumentalist
6. Actor/actress
7. Video producer
8. Movie director
9. Choreographer 
10. Stage manager
11. Custom designers
12. Makeup artist
13. Entertainment manager

Visual and applied arts

It deals with visual and audio-sensory perception through two or three-dimensional artworks. The learner will be able to create artwork images, videos, and other multimedia items.

Subjects in visual arts

Core subjects

1. Legal and Ethical issues in Arts
2. Communication Skills

Optional Subjects

The learner is required to take one of the following subjects:

1. Fine Art
2. Applied Art
3. Time-Based Media
4. Crafts

Career prospects

Those who choose this pathway can have employment opportunities to work as:

1. Graphic designer
2. Product designer
3. Fashion designer
4. Illustrators
5. Fine artist
6. Animators 
7. Videographer
8. Photographer 
9. 3D artist

Social Sciences pathway

This branch of science studies how society behaves and interacts to affect the surroundings and community in general. It deals with history, societal norms, and community interaction and tries to explain why people behave as they do.

It helps the learner understand their role and responsibilities at local community, national, and global levels for sustainable coexistence.

The pathway is further categorized into 2, Languages and Literature, Humanities, and Business Studies.

Languages and Literature

This area of study deals with how communities use languages to communicate and for other human interactions. Each community has its languages, its origin, and so forth which the pathway tries to study. 

It also deals with different works of literature that are used to depict the community’s behavior.

Subjects in studies in languages and literature

The learner is required to choose a minimum of three and a maximum of five subjects.

1. English Language
2. Literature in English
3. Lugha ya Kiswahili
4. Fasihi ya Kiswahili
5. Kenyan Sign Language
6. Indigenous Languages
7. Arabic
8. French
9. German
10. Mandarin

Career opportunities in the pathway

Some of the job opportunities for those who will follow this path include:

1. Journalist
2. Author
3. Publisher
4. Editor
5. Translator
6. Speech therapist
7. Scriptwriter
8. Public relation specialist
9. Digital content creator

Humanities and Business Studies 

Humanities is an umbrella of many disciplines which include studies on history, philosophy, cultures, linguistics, archaeology, religion, and sociology among others.

On the side of business studies, it majors on global standards in business, finance, and entrepreneurship.

Subject selection on the pathway

The learner is required to choose a minimum of three and a maximum of five subjects. The subject to be selected includes

1. History and Citizenship
2. Geography
3. Christian Religious Education
4. Islamic Religious Education
5. Hindu Religious Education
6. Business Studies
7. Mathematics

Career prospects

1. Archaeologist
2. Historian
3. Museum curator 
4. Journalist 
5. Social worker
6. Diplomat 

For business careers some of the most common are

1. Accountant
2. Entrepreneur
3. Marketing Manager
4. Project manager
5. Human resource manager

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Pathway

STEM is a broad career path that includes the areas of science, the latest technology, different engineering fields, and mathematics and their applications.

The STEM is aimed to make Kenya an industrialized country by producing those who will work in the industries. Most of the skills for industries will be done by those who will choose the STEM pathway.

According to KICD, the pathway is further categorized into 4 which are:

Pure science

The pure scientist mostly deals more with the theoretical part of science without concentrating on its application in real life. It tries to understand fundamental principles and theories without application.

Those who will take the pure science are expected to join TTIs and TVCs, National polys, and universities to pursue a specialized area of study later.

Subject in pure science pathway

Core subjects 

1. Community Service Learning
2. Physical Education
3. ICT

Optional

The learner is required to select a minimum of three from the following subjects:

1. Mathematics
2. Physics
3. Chemistry
4. Biology

Career prospect

Some of the expected career paths include

1. University professor
2. Pharmacologist
3. Biotechnologist
4. Geologist
5. Meteorologist
6. Data scientist
7. Industrial Chemist
8. Mathematician
9. Food scientist
10. Medical doctor

Applied science

It is a type of science that tries to use the learned concept to solve real-world problems, unlike pure science which concentrates on the theoretical parts.

Subjects in applied science

Core Subjects

1. Community Service Learning
2. Physical Education
3. ICT

Optional

The learner is required to select one of the following subjects:

1. Agriculture
2. Computer Science
3. Foods and Nutrition
4. Home Management

Career prospect

The careers overlap with those in pure science but major in application concepts.

Technical and engineering

Technical and engineering is the pathway that will give instructions to learners on how to perform various technical and engineering operations. 

The learners who follow this path can either later join TVET colleges or join accredited universities for further studies to become technologists and engineers.

Subjects in technical and engineering

Core Subjects

1. Community Service Learning
2. Physical Education
3. ICT
4. Mathematics
5. Chemistry/Biological Sciences
6. Physics/Biology/Physical Sciences

Optional

The learner is required to select one of the following subjects:

1. Agricultural Technology
2. Geosciences Technology
3. Marine and Fisheries Technology
4. Aviation Technology
5. Wood Technology
6. Electrical Technology
7. Metal Technology
8. Power Mechanics
9. Clothing Technology
10. Construction Technology
11. Media Technology
12. Electronics Technology
13. Manufacturing Technology
14. Mechatronics

Career pathway in technical and engineering

Career paths in technical and engineering route have some of the following opportunities

1. Civil engineer
2. Mechanical engineer
3. Computer engineer
4. Agricultural engineer
5. Electrical engineer
6. Technologist 

Career and Technology Studies (CTS)

The pathway is meant for those who can join the workforce after senior school. It equips learners with artisan-level skills so that they can join the workforce in their respective fields or pursue further studies in TVET sector institutions.

Subjects in Career and technology studies

The subject includes

Core Subjects

1. Community Service Learning
2. Physical Education
3. ICT

Optional

The learner is required to select one of the following subjects:

1. Garment Making and Interior Design
2. Leather Work
3. Culinary Arts
4. Hair Dressing and Beauty Therapy
5. Plumbing and Ceramics
6. Welding and Fabrication
7. Tourism and Travel
8. Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
9. Animal Keeping
10. Exterior Design and Landscaping
11. Building Construction
12. Photography
13. Graphic Designing and Animation
14. Food and Beverage
15. Motor Vehicle Mechanics
16. Carpentry and Joinery
17. Fire Fighting
18. Metalwork
19. Electricity
20. Land Surveying
21. Science Laboratory Technology
22. Electronics
23. Printing Technology
24. Crop Production

The career and job opportunities in CTS

Different artisan occupations that the learner can join for a job include but are not limited to.

1. Electrician
2. Automotive Mechanic
3. Plumber
4. Firefighter
5. Carpenter
6. Salonist
7. Waiter
8. Chef
9. Baker
10. Tailor