Back to school: Grade 10 textbook printing to start after Sh5.64bn release

A Grade 3 pupil at Xaverian Primary school in Kisumu on September 17, 2019. [File, Standard]

The Ministry of Education has released Sh5.64 billion to the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to support the printing and nationwide distribution of Grade 10 textbooks for public schools.

The funding release was confirmed during a joint meeting between KICD and the Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) held on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, to agree on logistics and timelines for production and delivery of the textbooks.

KICD Director and Chief Executive Officer Prof Charles Ong’ondo said the funds will be used to settle outstanding payments owed to publishers and to facilitate printing of textbooks for Grade 10 learners.

“We have received Sh5.64 billion from the Ministry of Education, which is earmarked for clearing pending payments to publishers and supporting the printing of Grade 10 textbooks,” Prof. Ong’ondo said.

He said KICD has already begun disbursing the funds to 23 publishers with pending bills, and that the amounts are expected to reflect in their accounts by Friday, January 9, 2026.

“We have initiated the disbursement process, and we expect the funds to be reflected in the respective publishers’ accounts by the end of this week,” he said.

Ong’ondo said additional funding will be released to fully clear outstanding arrears amounting to Sh4.4 billion.

“We have also been assured that more funds will be availed to settle the remaining arrears and ease the financial pressure facing publishers,” Ong’ondo asserted.

The KPA welcomed the release of funds and said publishers would proceed with printing without delay.

KPA Chairman Mr. Kiarie Kamau said the engagement with KICD had provided clarity on the way forward.

“We appreciate the transparency shown by KICD and the commitment to address the pending payments.Even as we await the funds, publishers are ready to immediately commence printing of all the approved Grade 10 textbooks,” Kamau noted.

“Even as we await the funds, publishers are ready to immediately commence printing of all the 35 approved Grade 10 textbooks and literary works,” he added in a joint press release with KICD.

The textbook financing crisis has been a concern for months.

Publishers had warned that  a government debt of more than Sh11 billion owed for previously supplied books,including those for Grades 1–9 under earlier phases of the Competency-Based Curriculum rollout,was straining operations and threatening the timely delivery of learning materials for the first cohort entering Grade 10 in 2026.

According to KPA, at least 50 per cent of the required books will be delivered to schools by Friday, January 16, 2026, while full printing and nationwide distribution are expected to be completed by January 31, 2026.

The meeting also resolved to establish an ad hoc joint committee comprising representatives from KICD and KPA to coordinate logistics and oversee the distribution process.