Textbooks are a threat to Kenya's economy, but ...

The post modern library at Kenyatta University that was built during Prof Olive Mugenda's tenure. Students see the mastery of textbooks as a path to progress through the passing exams and the benefits that go with this. (PHOTO: KAMAU MAICHUHIE/ STANDARD)

Textbooks are the main source of knowledge for students, from primary school all the way to university.

They package knowledge in an accessible way. They are time honoured, with every generation of students becoming a slave to a few textbooks and their contents. The digital age has not diminished the popularity of these books, which have just migrated to cyberspace.