As schools reopen across the country, the back-to-school rush has exposed the deep strain Kenyan households face, with the high cost of living forcing parents to make difficult choices to keep their children in class.
From crowded bookshops and slow-moving markets to chaotic bus parks, the start of the 2026 academic year paints a picture of resilience mixed with anxiety.
For many families, preparing children for school has become an exercise in cutting costs. Parents say they are increasingly turning to backstreet bookshops, second-hand uniforms, and used supplies as incomes stagnate and prices soar.
“I cannot afford everything new this year. I’ve reused last year’s uniform and bought second-hand books. The economy is too harsh,” said a parent in Nairobi.
The same reality is reflected in bookshops. Martha Auma, a parent to a Grade 8 pupil, went window-shopping at Savani’s Book Centre and had to clear some book titles from her initial list. “I have reduced the number of books I’m buying, and I’m reusing uniforms where possible. Everything is expensive, yet salaries and incomes have not improved,” Auma said.
Traders say the shift towards second-hand items is no longer occasional but has become the norm.
Along Tom Mboya Street in Nairobi, bookseller Nahashon Gathenya arranged stacks of textbooks, hoping for last-minute buyers. Unlike previous years when the street buzzed with activity, business was slow.
“Normally, by this time, I would have sold many books. This year, parents come, ask for prices, then walk away. Many are asking for second-hand books because they can’t afford new ones,” said Gathenya.
In Eastleigh, bookseller Wilfred Karugo described the current school reopening season as "one of the worst". “This year has been a nightmare. In the past, during back-to-school, I could make over Sh10,000 a day. Today, since morning, I have sold only three books. Parents spent heavily during Christmas, and now the economy is very harsh,” he said.
Meanwhile, back-to-school travellers were met with few operators and hiked fares.
“We are stranded. The fare has doubled, and there are no buses,” said Peter Ouma, a frustrated passenger travelling from Kisumu to Nairobi.
In Kakamega, parents ferrying children back to school were stranded for hours as public transport struggled to cope with the surge in demand. “It has been hectic and frustrating. Vehicles are few, fares are high, and schools are opening,” said Mary Akoth.
Passengers travelling back from festive season stranded at Kisii bus station on January 5, 2026. [Sammy Omingo, Standard].
Similar scenes were reported at other major towns across the country, where passengers waited for hours as operators blamed the chaos on high demand following the end of the holidays.
Despite the pressure, schools reopened with teachers guiding learners through the start of the term.
At Langata Road Junior Secondary School in Nairobi, pupils arrived early to check lockers and settle in. In Kakamega, primary school head teacher Dickson Wanyangu addressed Grade 7 pupils, outlining expectations for the new term as Grade 8 learners arranged desks in readiness for lessons.
Amid the financial strain, relief has come through bursaries and education support initiatives rolled out by leaders and foundations.
In Migori County, over 300 secondary school students from vulnerable families received cheques worth Sh4 million from the Job Tambo Foundation at Kwa Primary School in Suna East Sub-County.
“With the current economy, many parents cannot manage on their own. This support ensures children stay in school,” said an official from the foundation.
In Kilifi, Woman Representative Getrude Mbeyu distributed bursary cheques worth Sh8.5 million to more than 800 learners, including full scholarships for bright and needy
students. Murang’a County Government has also disbursed Sh230 million to support over 50,000 learners through the Inua Masomo programme.
Governor Irungu Kang’ata said the initiative was designed to promote access and merit.
“We are building systems that ensure fairness, long-term impact, and equal opportunity,” he said, noting partnerships with Family Bank and Co-operative Bank to fund full secondary school scholarships.
At the grassroots, Matungu MCA Fredrick Watitwa handed out books and pens to over 500 learners during a Sh1.5 million education empowerment drive, easing the burden on struggling families.
Even as most schools reopened on January 5, learners at Kongoni Primary and Secondary, South C in Nairobi will not open on time due to the ongoing rescue operation at a collapsed building, a situation confirmed by Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku.