All Grade 9 Learners have received 9.9 million textbooks

The Ministry of Education has distributed 9.9 million textbooks to Grade 9 learners nationwide to facilitate the transition to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

The Ministry’s Directorate Head of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), Hassan Duale, confirmed the release during a visit to Kangoya Primary School in Kiambu County on January 7, 2025.

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According to Hassan, the distribution aims to ensure equitable access to essential learning materials for over three million junior secondary learners.

“The government has distributed 9.9 million Grade 9 textbooks, and Kangoya Primary has diligently stocked, covered, and distributed these books to students,” he said.

The school is currently benefiting from a government classroom construction program, with a new structure expected to be completed within a month.

“Your school is part of Phase Three of the construction plan. We are fast-tracking the completion of your classroom to ensure learners have adequate space for their studies,” Duale assured.

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However, Kangoya Primary and Junior School Principal Faith Mwai acknowledged the positive impact of the textbook distribution but highlighted the need for continued support in addressing teachers and resource shortages.

“So far we have 169 JSS students and 418 primary education students, making it a total of 587 students. However, we only have 20 teachers and very few lockers, so we are hopeful that the government will continue to support us during this transition,” Mwai said.

The Ministry of Education has reiterated its commitment to providing resources, infrastructure, and teacher support to enable learners to thrive in the new system.

As schools, learners, and guardians gear up for the first term of the education calendar, they have been assured of adequate classrooms, books, and teachers.

State Department for Basic Education, Principal Secretary (PS), Dr. Belio Kipsang, says the government has been working round-the-clock to ensure a smooth reopening of schools.

The government has constructed additional classrooms in primary schools to accommodate Grade 8 learners transitioning to Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) under the Competency-Based Curriculum.

“As a government, in the last year we have been preparing ourselves so that we transition well,” stated the PS.

As per the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform, the PS expounded that 93 per cent of Kenyans wanted their children to be in primary schools for Junior Secondary Education.

Since the introduction of CBC in the county in 2017, Dr. Kipsang said the transition has been smooth except for a few challenges which have been surmounted.

“Up to today, we have been able to supply books to every level of learning. From the day we started with Grade One up to Grade Nine. I want to confirm that Grade Nine books have all been printed; 9.9 million books have been printed,” stated the PS.

He added that 85 per cent of schools have already received the books, and distribution is ongoing in the remaining 14 per cent of schools.