MPs warn Sh9bn textbook debt threatens Grade 11 rollout

MPs have warned that a Sh9 billion debt owed to textbook publishers could undermine preparations for the rollout of Grade 11 next year, putting pressure on the Treasury to release funds before schools begin the new academic year.

The lawmakers said the government’s failure to settle the outstanding bill was creating uncertainty around the availability of textbooks for learners who will move into senior school next year.

The warning comes as the Ministry of Education prepares for the Grade 11 transition in 2027 with the National Assembly Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education has raised concerns over financial management in national schools, including textbook distribution.

The committee, chaired by Luanda MP Dick Maungu, noted that the Sh9 billion debt as a concern in the timely delivery of textbooks

At the same time, the committee raised concern of uneven distribution of textbooks in schools, noting some schools are getting more books than required while others get fewer books.

The concerns emerged as the committee examined the Auditor-General’s reports covering the 2020/21 to 2024/25 financial years for a number of national schools during its retreat at the Royal Swiss Hotel in Kisumu.

Among the school heads who appeared before the committee were principals and senior principals from Ng’iya Girls High School, Maseno School, Maranda Boys High School, Kisumu Girls High School, Kisumu Girls High School and Chavakali Boys High School.

“We expect KICD to have the right data to ensure that the books supplied are enough for the students who are there, so that those in far-flung areas in Mandera, Turkana and other places get what is supposed to be theirs,” Maungu said.

The lawmakers are now putting the Treasury and the Ministry of Education on notice over the outstanding payments, warning that the government has had sufficient time to prepare for the next transition.

In July, documents submitted by KICD to the National Assembly show that although the institute has no pending bills under its own operations, it owes publishers Sh9.01 billion under the government’s delegated function of procuring and distributing textbooks to public schools.

The outstanding debt was disclosed in KICD’s response to issues raised by the Auditor-General as the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education examined the implementation of the 2025/26 financial year budget.

Appearing before the committee on Wednesday, KICD Director and Chief Executive Officer Charles Ong’ondo said policy, financial and legislative gaps continue to undermine the institute’s ability to fully execute its mandate.

“There is a need for a policy on disbursement of funds for the procurement of textbooks for public schools,” Prof Ong’ondo told MPs.

He explained that while KICD develops, reviews, evaluates and approves textbooks and curriculum support materials, the procurement and distribution of books to public schools is undertaken under a government arrangement whose financing lacks a clear policy framework.

“We evaluate and approve the textbooks, but distribution is undertaken through the Ministry of Education. We have already developed proposals to address the policy gaps and submitted them to the Ministry for consideration,” he said.

Members of Parliament sought clarification on the textbook procurement process, including which institution controls the funds, how payments are processed and whether KICD had already developed a policy to address the recurring delays in settling publishers’ claims.

The lawmakers also questioned how the government intends to guarantee timely production and delivery of Grade 11 textbooks when publishers are still waiting to be paid billions of shillings for previous supplies.

The disclosure is likely to raise fresh concerns over the financing of CBC implementation as the pioneer cohort prepares to join senior school next year.

Meanwhile, the Maungu-led committee also raised concern over millions of shillings in outstanding school fees, with some debts dating back more than a decade.

Hon Maungu said some schools had accumulated fee arrears dating as far back as 2010 and 2015, complicating efforts by administrators to run the institutions.

“A matter came out that schools have millions of shillings which are collected, and you find some of them date back to 2015 or 2010,” he said.

The chairman said school heads were caught between recovering money owed to their institutions and complying with Government directives against withholding students’ certificates because of unpaid fees.

“We have advised them that they don't need to hold a certificate for the learner because this student wants to join university or college. On the other side, they need to have this money paid,” Maungu said.

He proposed that schools prepare schedules detailing long-standing fee arrears and submit them to the Ministry of Education for consideration.

“Such cannot happen by the authority of the board or the ministry. They need to seek a waiver from the ministry and table a schedule of all the fees that are in arrears for many years before the Basic Education Department, which can then forward it to Treasury,” he said.

Hon  Maungu attributed part of the outstanding receivables to delays in the disbursement of Government capitation.

“Some of those receivables are due to capitation not being sent. We call upon the Government to ensure that it supports the head teachers by making their work easier by sending capitation as it should,” he said.