The Kenya Publishers Association has assured parents that books for Grades 5 to 8 will be available by the end of January, following a public outcry. Parents in private schools are waiting for the new books, which will once again replace the old ones, forcing them to dig into their pockets.
While addressing a press conference on Tuesday, January 7, the Chairperson of the Publishers Association insisted that teachers and learners can still use the old books before the new books are released in the market.
Last Friday, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) announced that learners in Grades Five to Eight will face further delays in receiving the new textbooks, despite schools reopening on Monday.
“Books are undergoing corrections at the KICD and will be in the market at the end of January and others in February,” stated Kamua.
"Parents and learners are advised to continue using what has been supplied,” he added.
The delay in publishing the books follows recommendations from Kenyans aimed at improving the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
In 2023, President William Ruto’s government initiated a review of subjects under the CBC, reducing the number of learning areas in lower primary from nine to seven.
In upper primary, the number of learning areas was reduced from ten to eight, while in junior secondary, subjects were scaled down from fourteen to nine.
Books have become a cash cow in the new system, with every iteration forcing parents to dig into their pockets. In 2019, when the CBC system was rolled out, books were supplied for Grade 4 in thirteen learning areas.
In 2020, Grade 5 books were released, followed by Grade 6 in 2021. Grade 7 books were delivered in 2023, and Grade 8 materials were supplied in 2024.
However, the government is now reviewing all these books in a process called rationalisation, aimed at aligning them with the revised learning areas.
Publishers defended the process, stating: “Let us remember it is Kenyans in all 47 counties who gave their views to the Presidential Task Force that brought about the rationalisation process, which has led to the development of new rationalised books.”
KICD announced on Friday that books covering Agriculture, Creative Arts and Sports, Integrated Science, Social Studies, and Pre-Technical Studies are expected to be available between now and April.
