Students will graduate from secondary school with an academic and a craft certificate under the new curriculum.
The proposal by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development seeks to recognise the practical skills courses senior secondary students take during their studies.
Those who fail to further their education past senior secondary school will be able to seek employment with the craft certificate.
The Competency-Based Curriculum has also re-envisioned the school system from 8-4-4 to 2-6-3-3-3.
As per the new structure, junior secondary (grades 7, 8, and 9) and senior secondary (grades 10, 11 and 12) will each take three years.
Twelve core subjects will be taught at junior secondary - mathematics, Kiswahili, English, life skills, health education, social studies, integrated science, business studies, religious education, agriculture, life skills, sports and physical education.
Learners at this level will also be required to take one or two optional subjects that suit their career choices, personalities, abilities and interests.
Home science, foreign languages, Kenyan sign language, indigenous languages, visual arts, performing arts, Arabic and computer science will be optional at junior secondary.
Learners at senior secondary (ages 15-17) will focus on three areas of specialisation depending on their skills, talents and interests.
These are arts and sports science, social sciences and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Graduates from this level will have the option to join vocational training centres or pursue university education for three years.
Pupils in the new curriculum were to transition to Grade 5 in January next year, but that move has been pushed forward to July due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Although the policy emphasises on vocational and skill-based education, implementation has been difficult nationwide.
School heads are still unclear about the curriculum implementation process, change in teaching structure and techniques, infrastructure development and staffing.
Uncertainty also abounds on how students will advance from primary school to junior secondary.
President Uhuru Kenyatta in December last year announced that the KCPE exams would be phased off with the new curriculum.
(edited by o. owino)
