Education CS Fred Matiang'i (centre) and USAID East Africa mission director Karen Freeman launch the "Tusome External Evaluation Midline Report" at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) in Nairobi on June 14, 2017. [PHOTO/nation.co.ke]
The government has ordered a drastic reduction in the number of course books used in Kenyan schools.
The Wednesday directive issued by Education CS Fred Matiang'i said the move was aimed at dismantling cartels profiting illegally from selfish sale of learning materials.
Matiang’i asked the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to review school course books, adding that only one book per subject was sufficient as opposed to the current six.
He argued that most of these books were benefiting only those in business as learners suffered the burden of carrying and reading them.
“The collection of books in the Orange Book is being influenced by people we know. Marketers go out to influence people who choose the books,” said Matiang’i.
He also lamented that though the government had disbursed billions of shillings to cater for school books, millions of children are still sharing them.
“We cannot achieve better learning outcomes if children in schools have no learning materials. People cannot complain that I am putting them out of business. I have no problem putting thieves out of business,” he said.
He asked KICD to identify a single course book for each subject but left the space open for parents who can afford purchase of supplementary books to be allowed to buy them.