Fresh crisis as State debt for school textbooks rises to Sh7.7bn, again
Scroll down to read the article
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba before the flagging off of the distribution of Grade 10 textbooks at English Press Ltd offices on January 22, 2026.
Photo credit:
Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
A growing debt burden owed to textbook publishers is threatening the smooth rollout of the CBE.
Additional books procured recently had pushed the bill upwards despite partial payments made earlier this year.
The debt burden exposes deeper structural challenges in the government’s textbook supply model introduced in January 2019.
A growing debt burden owed to textbook publishers is threatening the smooth rollout of the competency-based education (CBE), even as schools grapple with inadequate learning materials.
The government’s pending bill owed to publishers has surged to Sh7.7 billion for printing, packaging and distribution of textbooks, up from Sh4.4 billion in January, raising concerns over the sustainability of supply in a system already under strain.
