Senior School comprises three years of education targeted at learners in the age bracket of 15 to 17 years and lays the foundation for further education and training at the tertiary level and the world of work. It marks the end of Basic Education.
The learner entering this level shall have had opportunities at lower secondary to explore their own potential, interests and personality and is therefore ready to begin specialisation in a career path of choice. The specialisation entails choosing to pursue studies in one of the three pathways available in senior school. He or she can choose the Arts and Sports Science, Social Sciences or Science Technical Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pathway.
Pathways after Lower Secondaryu
Within the three pathways there are various tracks. Schools can also decide to offer one or more track in the pathway depending on the ability to acquire the infrastructure necessary for acquisition of the identified competencies.
Tracks within the Pathways
1) Art & 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:
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 Sport
- 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.
