Kuppet: Free textbooks cash cow for publishers

Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori (right) and his deputy Moses Nthurima at a past press briefing in Nairobi. [File, Standard]

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has told the Ministry of Education to allow head teachers to procure books directly. 

Speaking in Nyeri County during a meeting by union representatives from 13 counties in Mt Kenya region, Kuppet Deputy Secretary General Moses Nthurima said the Government spent Sh13 billion on textbooks.

Kuppet asked the ministry to stop issuing poor quality books to secondary schools, noting this was a cash cow for publishers and a few ministry officials. 

"Out of the Sh22,444 spent on each student under the Free Secondary School programme, only Sh12,000 was spent on school fees while the rest is for textbooks. This amount is then used to purchase poor quality books in our schools," Nthurima stated. 

The union leader also told ministry officials to keep off extra-curriculum activities in schools.

Nthurima said it was unfortunate that some unscrupulous education officials were hell-bent on benefiting from the Sh600 million budget for extra-curriculum activities. 

He also called on all Mt Kenya teachers disgruntled by the recent Kenya National Union of Teachers elections to join Kuppet.