KICD allays fears of shortage of textbooks as learners prepare for new term

The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has refuted claims of an impending shortage of textbooks as schools prepare for the start of the 2025 academic year.

According to KICD, textbooks are readily available for all learning areas from Pre-Primary 1 (PP1) to Grade 9 in schools or on the open market.

In a statement, KICD clarified that textbooks for rationalised learning areas at Grades 7 and 8 have been finalised, and are expected to be distributed to schools and will be available on the market by February 2025, following error corrections and printing by publishers.

“As of today, the only books for rationalised learning areas at Grade 7 and Grade 8 have been finalised this December. They should be in schools and market from February 2025 after corrections of errors and printing by publishers,” KICD said.

“So, there is no crisis on textbooks now and even in 2025.”

The rationalised learning areas include Agriculture, Creative Arts and Sports, and Pre-Technical Studies.

KICD noted that even in these subjects, existing textbooks cover the strands that constitute the revised learning areas.

For instance, materials for Creative Arts and Sports encompass Physical Education, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts, while Pre-Technical Studies include books on Pre-Tech, Business Studies, and Computer Studies. Similarly, Agriculture is supported by earlier books on Agriculture and Home Science.

KICD said the delay in finalising Grade 7 and 8 books was due to the rationalisation process initiated after the release of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) report in August 2023.

It further noted that the curriculum designs were adjusted by December 2024 to align with these reforms, enabling the development of rationalised textbooks for PP1 to Grade 3, upper primary, Grade 9, and specific Grade 7 and 8 subjects in April, August, and December 2024, respectively.

KICD assured stakeholders that the process is on track and there is no risk of a textbook shortage.