KICD ordered to fast-track textbook distribution for Grade 9 students
The first day of Grade 9 under CBC was marked by congestion, confusion, and a shortage of classrooms and textbooks.
The Ministry of Education has directed the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to ensure the prompt distribution of all required textbooks and learning materials for Grade 9 students.
The directive follows the challenges faced by schools and parents on the first day of the school term under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
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The first day of Grade 9 under CBC was marked by congestion, confusion, and a shortage of classrooms and textbooks.
Despite government assurances that preparations were complete, spot checks across the country revealed that many students were forced to share classrooms, while others were placed in makeshift structures as they awaited the completion of new classrooms.
While most schools had received textbooks, some began the term without the necessary learning resources.
In response to the situation, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has assured the public that the government has procured nearly 10 million textbooks for Grade 9.
Ogamba made the announcement on Thursday when the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam results were released.
He revealed that 9,926,618 textbooks have already been distributed to schools, with the distribution process expected to be completed by the end of the month.
“I have directed the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development to work robustly and ensure that all required textbooks and other instructional materials are available for use by our learners,” he said.
Ogamba also revealed that the Ministry has constructed 14,500 classrooms for Grade 9 students and aims to reach a target of 16,000 by the end of January 2025.
According to the CS, the efforts have been funded by a Sh11 billion disbursement for 11,000 classrooms and an additional Sh6.8 billion allocated to the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) for the construction of 6,800 classrooms.
Ogamba also noted that the 18 constituencies in Nairobi County were allocated Sh1 billion for infrastructure development through the NG-CDF.
“I wish to most sincerely thank our Members of Parliament for their outstanding cooperation and efforts in the construction of classrooms for Junior Schools,” he said.
In addition, the Ministry is preparing to construct another 7,290 classrooms to accommodate increased enrolment and ensure a smooth transition for the new cohort of students.
Senior school
The commencement of the 2025 academic year on January 6 marked a significant milestone in the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), with all 2024 Grade 8 learners successfully placed in Grade 9 classrooms.
“As a government, I am proud to announce that we surmounted the expected challenges in efforts to place all the 2024 Grade 8 learners in classrooms at Grade 9, the highest level of Junior School,” Ogamba said.
The Ministry said it is now focusing on the launch of Senior School in January 2026. The Senior School curriculum will offer three pathways: STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports.
“As part of our preparations, we have already worked on guidelines for the transition and placement of learners to Grade 10,” Ogamba added.
These guidelines, Ogamba said, will undergo a stakeholder validation exercise from February 2025.
The Ministry said it is in discussions with the National Treasury to ensure that Sh48 billion in capitation grants for primary, junior, and secondary schools for Term One of 2025 are disbursed based on data from the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS).
