States releases new set books with advanced security features to cripple piracy

Parents from schools exchange (butter trade) text books for a reduced fee with bookshop stall owners outside the General Post Office (GPO) ahead of the opening of schools country-wide next week. The state has rolled out new set books to be used from January 2018 [Photo: Gideon Maundu| Standard]

The Ministry of Education has finally rolled out new set books for literature in English and Fasihi ya Kiswahili to be used from 2018 to 2022.

In a circular from the director of quality and assurance Pius Mutisya to secondary school heads, the new selection will replace those that have been in use since 2013.

“All the new set books have a security tag on the cover which when scratched will reveal a sixteen digit pin. When the pin number is sent by mobile SMS to 22776 you will receive a message confirming whether the copy is genuine or pirated,” he said.

For English, the compulsory read for the students will be Blossoms of the Savannah by Henry Ole kulet (Longhorn) retailing at Sh500 and will replace The River and the source.

Caucasian Chalk Circle’s place will be taken by A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen (East African Education Publishers Ltd) at Sh450 per copy.

The students will have a choice of three option set books in the Novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck (Bookmark Africa), Anthology of Short Stories Memories we lost by Chris Wanjala (Moran EA Publishers) and Play-in use Inheritance by David Mulwa (Longhorn).

This is as Fasihi ya Kiswahili compulsory read Kidagaa Kimemwozea will be replaced by Chozi La Heri by Assumpta K. Matei (One Planet and Media Services Ltd) sold at Sh345 and Pauline Kea Kyovi’s Kigogo retailing at Sh325 from 2017-2021.  

For the short stories, the students will buy Tumbo Lisiloshiba na Hadithi Nyingine by Alifa Chokocho na Dumu Kayanda (Longhorn) at Sh420.

According to the Ministry, the books will have a running foot note on every page stating, ‘Approved by KICD 2017 Edition’ and ‘Kimeidhinishwa na KICD Toleo la 2017’ for English and Kiswahili respectively as it seeks to end piracy.